To Go Forth Blindly
by MishanAngel
Summary: Sakura Haruno comes back from a mission, broken, scared, blind & hating the village. The only person who can save her is the man who felt the same way years ago. Hatake Kakashi is chosen to look after his former student and help her readjust back into village life, showing her the beauty of it. However, it turns out he still had things to learn from her as well. KakaSaku & NaruSaus
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own or pretend to own anything Naruto or Naruto related. :D**

Now that that has is said, I am going to give another disclaimer. Much more personal. I have watched intermediately Naruto anime and a little of the manga but not much. I do not claim that I know every part of the lore and so I am sorry if I offend anyone with this story. I have never written a Naruto fan fiction at all, so this is my first go at it.

I am a lover of KakaSaku, so already its not going to be correct. However, I will keep most of the basics, twisting from a starting point. Please enjoy the story! :D This will be long (at least I hope it will). I know the first couple of chapters won't be but as I get deeper into the story, I find it harder to find a breaking point. Hehehe. Thats just how I write. Thank you for reading! I know I have big shoes when it comes to the KakaSaku fandom and I hope I do it justice.

Im going to try to update regularly but I know life gets in the way sometimes. And already once I've had to scrap everything I had because I hated it. :) So I am going to do my best to finish it. And that all I can promise you!

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Chapter 1:

This was stupid, and an almost embarrassing way to die. It sounded so much grander when they say give your life up for you village. The spectacular war stories. The tales of grandeur and bravery told about you and how you single-handedly saved the entire village from destruction.

Sakura Haruno chewed on the inside of her cheek, for lack of anything better to do. Also, the only thing she was able to do. Why hadn't they just come out and said the truth? It was ugly, messy, smelly, exhausting, painful, embarrassing, and lonely. Your village didn't come rescue you but you give your life to rescue the village.

"Seems like a bad dating relationship," she spat up at the sky.

True, she was proud. Around her she knew were remnants of the battle. She had tripped a couple times over things that were most likely severed legs or arms and she accidently kicked a head somewhere to the east. But there was now a huge crater in the middle of a clearing that probably had body parts littered the ground like flowers in a flowerbed. It _had been_ a huge compound for missing and rogue elite-nin but now there was nothing left of the building but rubble.

She could just imagine how she looked. Her naked body contorted in an awful position upon her collapse. Her hair was probably the color of blood instead of its usual vibrant color. She swore her hand had fallen right next to her, but who knew now. Somewhere along the way, she might have lost her right leg or it had been the first part that went numb from the poison. But now she couldn't feel any part of her body. Sakura sighed.

They say that you think of the ones you love and sometimes your regrets, even remembering, things long forgotten. It was agony. She could feel no pain and every breath could be her last. But she could just be lying for hours, waiting, for the lethal concoctions that were in her body to take affect or the eventual blood loss. A couple people might be angry at her death. Tsunade and Shizune would be down a medic, an ANBU medic, which was no laughing matter. That would be a blow. Naruto and Sasuke were so wrapped up in their own rise to power, and as of late, each other, they wouldn't care too much. She had effectively disappeared out of their lives except for the occasional mending of a broken bone or two. Plus, she had already been gone for five years. Five out of the seven years that was mandated for the elite S-class ANBU mission. Five years and it turned out she wasn't going to be coming back from this one. Just another kunoichi dying in the dirt, alone and naked.

She had gone through hell for this damn mission. Bitterly she wished everyone could see how strong she had actually gotten. Within six months of the mission, she had lost her eyesight and gained her name in the bingo books of every nation. It had been a blow for sure, but in a weird way it had freed her from relying on her eyes. It made her a much better and stronger kunoichi. Every possible trial and tribulation thrown her way she had come out stronger, except this one.

The whole compound had been in an uproar. Turns out another village had sent a nin to infiltrate the compound. It hadn't ended well for him when he was caught flying messages back to his village. Nor did it end well for the nin to the right or left of him. Suspicious by nature, everyone started to second-guess each other. If their leader had been at the compound it probably wouldn't have happened the way it did. All hell broke loose and it was every ninja for himself, or in Sakura's case, herself. Sakura had been sleeping after a mission, naked, and only grabbed her kunai holster. All those years down the drain because of one stupid, inexperienced Sand-nin. As big and chaotic as the fight had grown, Sakura had been the one to finish it. Taking out everyone and everything within a two-mile radius. There had been too many exceptional ninja and not enough chakra; there was never enough chakra.

She took a deep, labored breath as the wind picked up. A second of fresh forest air before the pungent odor of death, fire, and blood settled back into the clearing. Amidst the struggle to breath, Sakura felt a familiar tingle. Someone was approaching; she could pick up their chakra signatures. Who the hell was out this far? They were out in the wilds of Fire Country and close to Sound. No one should have heard the explosions. Were they coming back to see what was left? No, they wouldn't belong to this elite of a group if they were stupid enough to come back. These guys were coming fast, straight for the compound location. Not that there was anything she could do about it at this point.

"Holy shit." One of the ninja stopped, most likely in a tree from the height of his chakra signature, just outside the clearing.

There were three of them. Accent from the one made Sakura realize they were Konoha. Hell, she might have even worked with them before. She hoped she didn't know the one who was retching in the bushes, slightly distant from her teammates. Talk about weak and pitiful kunoichi. This was the smell of power and destruction. She had created this smell, the aftermath of the greatest battle she had ever fought to date. Sakura just wished she had been able to come back from it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

This is an update of the first version of Chapter 2. :) I tweaked a few things, just to fit better and sound better. I'm working on fixing the other chapters as well. I didn't like how the story was going and it took me a very long time to get reacquainted with what I wanted to do. I don't have very much so far but I'm going to update what I have and throw in a few more chapters as well. We will see where it goes from there.

Sorry to make you wait on all these.. :)

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Chapter 2:

"You done throwing up over there?" The ninja spoke up again, amusement in his tone and he chuckled at the end.

Sakura was surprised and slightly insulted. Whatever intel they had received, it wasn't looking for survivors.

"Stop it. We need to start digging. We need to find our ANBU and hopefully they will have the scroll on them."

She knew that voice. A commanding tone with a hint of…she paused trying to think of the correct adjective. Lazy? It clicked. Kakashi Hatake was the other voice. Of course Tsunade would send an ANBU team but one of the best hunter nin? Though, they didn't seem like an ANBU team. Sakura almost wished he hadn't been the one assigned. He might also be on the list of the slightly aggravated at her death. After she reached jounin, as a present to herself, she had applied for ANBU. Naruto and Sasuke had been opposed to her decision but Kakashi had been passively supportive. Kakashi had been her team leader on a few missions. They shared drinks and stories and he was able to get a free meal out of her. It was the closest thing she had to a real friend before she left on this stupid mission. He had been gone on a mission when she had been handed this mission. Kakashi was no longer her teacher but she figured he would be disappointed in the state she was in now. You really didn't want to see someone you taught self defense die, missing important body parts.  
"We didn't even get a description. How are we supposed to find anyone in this? We can't just start piecing people together."

Who was this girl? Sakura thought angrily. Obviously she wasn't ANBU. She should know better with these kinds of search missions. Not only complaining about the mission but about the lack of detail in the mission? Obviously she didn't understand the workings of these types of missions either.

"Hokage-sama didn't tell us because even if she did, who's to say they didn't dye their hair. Cut it short or grow it long? Get a tan or become extremely pale? What if they have scars from being tortured or burned? We don't know." Kakashi paused and the sound of his foot hitting something, bouncing it down the crater was a bit melodramatic, even for him. "The details were that an elite nin was on a multiple year mission. But we are to get the scroll with the information that was gathered so far. At least the mission wouldn't be a total loss." He added the last sentence after a long pause.

The fact that they didn't come for her was forgotten. Sakura had been acknowledged by Tsunade naming her an elite nin. That alone was worth every bit of agony in this whole damn fiasco of a mission. Though Sakura really didn't care for her village anymore or Tsunade for that matter, she still respected the woman. The three chakra signatures headed into the remnants of the compound.

The sun was past midday now. Sakura just wanted to die. Their rummaging through the rubble became obnoxious a long time ago. She was pretty sure they had given up now and were just kicking around rocks. A wind picked up and nine little chakra signatures popped up new Kakashi's chakra signature.

"We are searching for a Konoha ninja. Try and see if you can pick up on scents of Konoha. They haven't been in Konoha for a while but at least the scroll might smell like the village."

"Kakashi, I have heard some ridiculous requests but this is…" Pakkun, usually Kakahi's voice of reason, was telling him it was useless.

"I know what I'm asking. We are just out of options."

There was a grumbling coming from a couple of them as they split up in different directions. Pakkun was making a zigzag pattern towards her. She knew his chakra signature well. He had a fondness for her biscuits and unlike Kakashi, she let him eat on the couch. He was making a beeline for her.

"Why the hell is this smell familiar? Sure, its strawberries but…"

He found her but he didn't raise the alarm to Kakashi yet. Pakkun sniffed her body up and down, almost as though he was uncertain of his own sense of smell.

Sakura inhaled sharply. "Sorry, no biscuits." Her voice was little over a throaty coarse whisper.

Pakkun yelped and jumped back. He circled around her and came up to her head. "Oh shit Sakura, I was hoping I was wrong." He nuzzled her head. "You look dead."

"I feel dead." She took another haggard breath. "Death can't come soon enough."

"Kakashi, I found Sakura." Pakkun raised his voice but didn't leave Sakura's side.

The chakra signature of Kakashi came to her like a blur. He kneeled down next to Pakkun and Sakura watch his movements through his chakra. Was he taking something off? He then moved over her so maybe he was covering her with something considering she was naked. There was no feeling anywhere. Damn Mist-nin, covering the whole fourth floor into a dense cloud of toxic fumes.

"Kakashi, she's…" Kakashi cut off Pakkun.

"She's missing her hand." It was odd to hear the slight quiver in his voice.

"It should be right here…was chopped off after I fell."

A choked and strangled cough broke from his mouth. "Sakura? You're still alive?"

Sakura took a deep breath. "You are too. What are you, fifty now?" A deep cough made its way through her, though it was supposed to be a laugh. She would taste blood in her mouth. Not much longer.

"What the hell are you doing out here?"

His question didn't warrant an answer. He knew perfectly well what she was doing out here. Kakashi wanted to know why but he wasn't going to get that answer.

"My leg, still attached?"

"Yeah."

She signed in relief. That made this much easier. "Kunai pouch. The book. Release." Sakura could feel the blackness creeping over her mind. She wished she could have seen the look on his face as he pulled the little orange book from her pouch. Turns out that no one questions a book full of smut. It was the perfect cover for her five-year journal.

Suddenly, she felt the bright light of chakra in her system, healing her. Her hand was being stitched back on. She choked and blood sputtered from her mouth as she tried to speak.

"No. Die. Please." If she could have cried, she would have. At this point for how long she had waited, she wanted to die. Sakura knew that her body was beyond even Tsunade's healing prowess. The boy should be saving her chakra for the trip home; she was already running low as it was. There was a typical Kakashi grunt and she felt herself being picked up. She tried to squirm away. Couldn't he just leave her? But her body refused to respond to her and she just lay like a limp rag in his arms.

"I'm not giving up on my favorite former student. Don't you give up too."

Stupid Kakashi. He didn't get it. That's what got her into this stupid mess to begin with.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Another update.

Sorry for another short chapter! :) Enjoy.

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Chapter 3:

Tsunade had given Kakashi's team a teleportation jutsu to come back but the place that it teleported them too was just outside the village. Kakashi, holding the limp and barely breathing Sakura, made his way into the hospital faster than he had ever moved before. He burst into the lobby, slightly out of breath, his eyes searching for anyone who could help. Then he locked eyes with Tsunade, whose eyes widened, probably because he was covered in blood, in Sakura's blood.

"Save her." He managed to get out between breaths.

Kakashi watched as her eyes fell on Sakura, the clipboard in her hands crashed to the floor and then the whole hospital burst into action. Tsunade lifted the limp Sakura out of his arms and into one of the rooms.

But that had been hours ago. He was leaning against the wall, head buried in his favorite orange book. The book couldn't answer his questions though. Why had she been there? Why did Tsunade send her? What happened? Was she really so ready to die? The image of Sakura laying there, stark naked, hand chopped off, leg pretty damn close to being unattached, bandages around her eyes, covered in blood, and the pale look of death he had seen far too many times on his friends faces. Death had been calling her home. She begged Kakashi to leave her. But he couldn't.

"Damn it Sakura! Don't you dare leave me to this damn village alone." The hospital walls shook as Tsunade's angry thunderous voice echoed through the halls. Was he really going to have another name to visit? He slid down the wall into a crouched position.

"They are still in there huh?" Kenshi, his teammate, finally had made his way to the hospital after Kakashi had left the two of them in the dust. He handed Kakashi a cup of water and Kakashi threw it back. He was chosen for his medic skills, particularly when it came to putting people back together. He understood why the hokage chose Tsuna, she was very good at hunting and tracking but she hadn't been prepared enough for the slight at the compound.

One of the medics came out and Kakashi recognized her as one of the girls Sakura childhood friends.

"I'll replace you Yamanaka." Kenshi gave Kakashi as small wave and disappeared behind the doors.

The girl sank into the chair beside Kakashi. "Stupid Forehead," she mumbled. She looked at him for the first time and her eyebrows rose. "Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here?"

Kakashi nodded to the door.

"I know Tsunade said you brought her in but you avoid hospitals like everyone avoids Guy-sensei." She paused for a few moments. "You know," Kakashi watched as she leaned forward, her blonde hair covering her face. "She wants to die. She's no fighting at all. Hokage-sama says if she can get through the first twenty four hours, then she has a chance."

Kakashi simply looked at her. Watched as she buried her face in her hands.

"She's died four times."

His eyes widened, luckily one was hidden behind his hitai but he didn't say a word.

"I'm sure you heard the Hokage that fourth time. I think she scared Sakura's ghost back into her body." She slumped into the chair, tears falling down her face.

Kakashi shifted against the wall, he never was the one to console a girl when she cried. He didn't really know how.

"There is so much wrong with her," Ino sniffled. "She's blind, completely. It's grotesque what they did to her."

"What do you mean?" Kakashi managed to choke out. She was blind? How could she still be on the mission after something that bad happened? Was that the reason for the battle or did this happen further back?

Ino answered his unspoken question, looking at him in the eye when she spoke a little over a choked whisper. "Kakashi-sensei, they tortured her. Her eyes look like they were cut out and then put back in. Her stomach is backwards. They took her whole stomach out and flipped it around. The amount of scars on her body, she has more scar tissue than normal tissue. Most of them are years old. Every portion of her back was…" She paused but the look in her eyes was something he had seen before. The look when they see what the devastation of war could bring. She looked him in the eye. "She was skinned."

That was it. He teleported out of the hallway and onto the roof. It was already dark out but Kakashi ran along the rooftops to the once place he could think. He dropped down and slowly walked up to the memorial wall, hands shoved in his pockets.

Sakura really was his favorite student. Out of all Team Kakashi, she was the lowest maintenance. But somehow she had weaseled her way into his life. Through stories and the offer of free food, she had wormed her way into his small bubble. After every mission they would talk about it, no matter how classified. She was a bright spot in his life. He had been there after she had her first real kunoichi mission. It took her a couple days but she had bounced back. She had grown into a fine woman and a strong kunoichi and Kakashi would only admit to himself he had a soft spot for her.

His fist balled up in his pocket. But this had taken it too far. He had been gone on a three-month mission and when he came back she was already gone. Under a guise that she was doing medic training in another country but why had they lied about the mission? Why had Tsunade allowed her to go on the mission in the first place? For five year she had been in that place according to the intel that was given to Kakashi after he brought Sakura into the hospital. She had defiantly been the one to bring it down but she also had been willing to die for it as well.

He waited a couple hours before going back to the hospital. It had quieted down and no one was outside the room where Sakura was. Kakashi gingerly opened the door and poked his head in. Shizune was the only one in the room. She was holding a clipboard and fussing over the machines. He cleared his throat and she jumped, spun around, regarding him with surprise.

"Is she…" Kakashi didn't want to voice the question.

"She's stable, for now. But the machines are doing most of the work. Tsunade will hate me but you can come in."

As he opened the door and walked into the room, he could feel Shizune regarding him in mild fascination. He sat in the chair that was pulled closer towards the bed. Kakashi looked at his former student. Though, there wasn't much to look at. She had bandages covering her neck and down, then from the bridge of her nose and all the way around her head.

"Sakura, you look like a mummy."

Shizune shot him a glare but he just gave her a usual eye crinkle. She started to leave but she looked at Kakashi.

"They say coma patients can still here you. Tsunade can only threaten her so much. Maybe you can talk some sense into her." Quietly, she shut the door behind her.

He felt slightly uncomfortable considering he was alone with a coma patient who happened to be his friend and ex-student. His feelings towards hospitals weren't helping. Finally he sighed and pulled out his book. Leaning back into the chair.

"I just got back from this mission. The plan was to take a scroll back home from an elite ninja who died to save her village. Who knew the scroll was actually a copy of Icha Icha Paradise – Special Edition."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Updated. This will probably be the most drastic change of chapter. :) Sorry everyone for switching but I did NOT like how the other storyline was heading. Too me a long time but so far I am happy with this one.

Sorry it's another short one. :)

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Chapter 4:

It had been a week. Sakura had survived the night but she still had no hint of waking up soon. She was still in the emergency, visitors prohibited. Naruto had raised hell but Tsunade put her foot down. It made the walls of the hospital shake and Naruto shut up about seeing her. Now, he just popped into her office every day asking if she was okay and if there was any change.

Kakashi was standing in her office waiting for her to say something. Already downing two helpings of sake, she finally sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"What do you know of the mission that Sakura was on?"

Kakashi shifted slightly from where he stood. "Only from the slight briefing before we left to retrieve the scroll."

"No hints or rumors around ANBU?"

He shook his head. "No Hokage-sama."

She sighed again, this time in relief. "What I'm about to tell you is so confidential that if I hear even one peep of what I tell you out there in the village, that smug face of yours will be dead six feet under faster than Naurto downs a bowl of ramen, do you understand me?"  
Kakashi didn't doubt it; he just nodded.

"Sakura was planning on leaving the village."

He waited.

"She planned on becoming a missing-nin. She couldn't handle life at the village anymore. Both Naruto and Sasuke had left for years. I think she wanted that experience and that was the only way she knew how."

Trying not to show his surprised, Kakashi asked, "So you gave her the option to take the extended ANBU mission? Hoping she would view that as enough?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Sakura left. No one was to know about her disappearance save for the hunter-nin that were chosen to hunt her down." She paused and took a swig of sake. "They caught her eventually, but she had taken down more than half the nin's I had sent after her. They brought her back here and I gave her an option. Die as a disgrace to the village or probably die on an elite S-class mission that would help the village and clear her name."

"She chose the mission."

Tsunade nodded. "The parameters were simple. Collect as much information as possible in seven years that housed some of the greatest threats to the village. Never once contacting the village or anyone in it. Just keeping the journal on her and at the seven years come back, give over the notes, and continue on living her life at the village."

"But something went wrong." It wasn't a question.

"Suna sent in one of their ninja; an inexperienced idiot of a ninja. They had him using birds to relay information."

Kakashi sighed. So it was a rookie mistake that happened. Sakura just happened to be there and they happened to take her down too.

"From the accounts of your team, she was the one who took down the whole complex."

"That would be my guess as well. Though, I've never seen enough chakra to create a two-mile crater. She has definitely gotten stronger."

"When I said elite, I meant it Kakashi. She has surpassed me, without a doubt. You too. Maybe even Naruto and Sasuke." Tsuande poured herself even more sake. Silence hung in the room, each to their own thoughts. Surprisingly it was Kakashi who broke the silence.

"What happened to Sakura, Hokage-sama?"

"Before or after the mission?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Both."

She took another slip of sake. "Frankly, I noticed Sakura alienating some of her friends after she was promoted to jounin. I didn't think much of it. But each A-class or even S-class mission reports started to worry me. Almost questioning why loyalty to the village was worth the life of a ninja." Tsunade looked at him poignantly.

That train of thought Kakashi knew well. He had lost just about everyone in his life that he loved. His parents, his sensei, and his teammates all died around the same time and for what? Were their lives really worth the safety of the village? It had been a dark time in Kakashi's life. But he had found people he wanted to protect. Had she not made it to that point or did the insecurities about being the weakest member of their team meant that everyone could protect themselves? There had to be something more. Sakura wouldn't just throw her whole life away because she was feeling grumpy about Naruto and Sasuke. Something else must have happened. Something Tsunade didn't know about.

"As for after," Tsunade cut off his thinking by throwing him the copy of Icha Icha Paradise he took from Sakura. He only knew it was hers because the cover was bloodstained. "It's a novel, the information in there has already been copied. That has been the single most useful information packet we have received since I became Hokage. The notes and meticulous details, that information alone will save thousands of ninja's lives." She paused, her face becoming darker. "She also used it as a sort of diary."

Kakashi released the seal and it turned into a plain orange covered book, much thicker than the Icha Icha. He thumbed through the pages but Tsunade interrupted him.

"It's not a light read Kakakshi. It's a personal and the only reason I'm letting you read it is because I think you're the only one that can talk some sense into her. If she comes to, we don't know the Sakura we are going to be dealing with. But to do that, you need to know." She let a smirk onto her face. "Protect that like you protect those Icha Icha books of yours and we won't have a problem."

Kakashi nodded.

"Dismissed. Get out of here. And if you don't mind, don't use the door. I would like to drink in peace a little while longer."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

She took her time pouring more sake and knocking back one before pouring herself another.

"If he can't help her, not once can." She mused. "I don't relish the thought of killing my own apprentice." Picking up the mission reports Kakashi's team had turned in, she took another sip of sake. "If I even can."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Finally a new chapter! I hope you enjoy! :D I wanted to go with this and was a lot happier (it fits with the characters a little better) and kinda show a little bit more. Also...NaruSasu. My other favorite pairing. Hehehe.

AND it's not short! ;)

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Chapter 5:

_Date: Who the hell knows…_

_Time: Dark_

_Location: Underground_

_Bunch of rag-tag bandits. This is stupid. I'm getting nowhere with these idiots. But I need to make a name for myself before I can contact the heavy weights that handle The Compound. Is this what it is like? Fucking up poor villages just to feed you band of merry men? Should I just go do something big on my own? Maybe I should kill the leader of The Compound. Yeah, stupid idea. It needs to be something BIG. Something against Konoha or one of their allies. Really do something that a missing-nin would do besides run away. I've never really been good with assassinations. Quiet isn't my style. Maybe mess with some trade routes. Oh! I know! Shizune will love me for this one!_

The entry ended and Kakashi laid the book against his chest. He chuckled. Roughly about five years ago Tsunade went on a rampage. For a month, no sake or spirits came into the village. According to intel gathered, someone was messing with the route that was used to deliver the alcohol. The fact that Sakura had been behind it made him smile.

She still sounded like Sakura. He wondered how made Tsunade was to learn it was Sakura's doing that made her go dry for a month. But the hokage hadn't mentioned it at all. Just gave him that dark, haunting look. He was only a few pages into her report and maybe a couple months by his calculation. It wasn't like a diary; he silently thanked her. There wasn't an entry every day. They were more just random boredom rants every so often between information gathered. The bandits had been a good source of information but wasn't her mission.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto's annoying _I-want-to-fight-you_ tone made Kakashi sigh.

"Not now Naruto, can't you see I'm busy?"

He whined. "Busy doing what? Being lazy?"

"Exactly." He shot Naruto an eye crinkle. Though he was surprised that Sasuke was also with Naruto.

"We aren't here to fight. We want to know what's going on with Sakura." Sasuke tried to sound disinterested but Kakashi's eyebrow rose.

"Unlike you Sasuke to ask about someone, especially Sakura."

"Kakashi-sensei! She is our teammate and our friend! Of course we are worried about her." Naruto exclaimed, waving his hands around. "Someone said you were part of the team that brought her back. Baa-chan won't tell me anything or let me visit her."

Kakashi sighed. "Yes, I was. No, I'm not telling you anything. And the hokage has her reasons. No one is allowed in."

It was true. After that first night of staying with Sakura, Tsunade had kicked him out. Never to be let back in again.

"Naruto would probably annoy her awake just so she could punch him." Sasuke shrugged.

Kakashi stared at the Uchiha. Was he genuinely worried about her? More than one occasion had Sakura ranted about the both of them. They both had basically abandoned her. Sasuke to power and Naruto to his drive to become the Hokage. Even going so far as refusing dinner when she offered to pay. He looked at his former students with a suspicious eye.

"Whatever you two are after, forget it. I don't know what your motives are but in no way am I helping you."

Kakashi gave them a small wave and an eye crinkle before disappearing into a puff of smoke. But he didn't go far. Just behind the tree he had been leaning up against and masked his chakra. What were these two up to?

"Dobe, now he is suspicious of us." Sasuke chastised Naruto.

"No, it's the fact you came too. Both of us didn't even give her the time of day before she left. At least I make more sense to be asking. You're the emotionally stunted one." Naruto grunted as Sasuke hit him.

"You're the one who wants to talk to her, not me."

So, Sasuke had no part in this. Naruto was the one who talked him into…Kakashi's train of thought was interrupted.

"You're the one who found out whose team picked her up. You're the one who said Kakashi-sensei would be here. And you wanted to come with."

"You would have just sparred with him."

"Admit it! You're worried about her! It's okay to worry. She's our friend. She was always there for us. Having her gone for five years was a lot tougher than we thought."

Sasuke grunted in reply.

"Plus, we need to get her blessing." Naruto's voice went unusually quiet.

"You can't just spring something on her like that when she just comes back, let alone wakes up from a coma, dobe."

Naruto whined. "It's been five years, Sasuke-kun. I didn't think she would be gone for that long."

The unusual sound of Sasuke's laughter was suddenly cut off. Kakashi leaned around the tree to look and his eyes widened as he witnessed the first display of affection between the two teammates he had ever seen. Sure, there were rumors and they always were together, but there was nothing like actually seeing them having a full make-out session. Sakura had always said it, turns out she was right. Quickly, Kakashi teleported into his apartment. He fumbled around for the light. As soon as he flicked it on, he ran his hands through his silver mop, hoping to shake off the slight embarrassment.

At least they weren't going to try and battle her for her elite status. Instead, they just wanted her blessing on their relationship. It was cute and Sakura would probably be more than happy. Taking off his vest, he flopped on the couch. At least, the Sakura he knew before all this. With Sakura's book open, he began reading again.

_Date: Unkown_

_Time: Dusk_

_Location: Fire Country_

_They made contact! I can finally get this stupid mission started. The rogue-nin interrupted my battle with the newest shipment of sake. He said that they would bring me to his field leader. Have him talk to me. I am so ready._

_Date: Summer_

_Time: Midday_

_Location: Forest – Fire Country_

_I made contact with the field leader. His name is Tetsu, and no one knows his last name. Apparently, I'm still too well known as the hokage's apprentice and they decided to torture me. It wasn't anything terrible. Poisons, truth serums, genjutsu, pain tolerance, and a couple of the men wanting sex but all they got was the story Tsunade made up as to why I left the village. I'm sitting in a cell now. But tomorrow I think they will move me to the main base. I hear rumors from the other prisoners and the guards about the man who actually runs the facility. I'm starting to think that maybe this was a suicide mission. He knows everyone by name and is very powerful. But thinking like that will get me nowhere. I can do this. I dealt with Naruto and Sasuke all these years. I was trained by Kakashi, the Copy-nin, who did nothing but torture us. Then by Tsunade, the Slug Queen, ultimate temper. I'm a member of ANBU. I am the best medic-nin in our country. There isn't anything I can't do when I put my mind to it._

It was unusual for Sakura need to write down a pep talk to herself. But the other notes, of the compound and the guards. The types of poisons, people, prisoners. Everything was extremely detailed which was very much Sakura. However, you could see the detail of the man who ran the whole operation. He was detail oriented, meticulous, and he would not be someone to take lightly. She must have realized this and realized what a dangerous situation she was in.

Kakashi flipped the page. There was an unusual blank page between the writings. The next page, the writing was different. It was perfect. The lines weren't straight on the page but the way the words were written. There was also no date and time like the others.

_It has been about six months since my last journal. I was probably excited to start my mission. How stupid I was._

_The leader is a man named Musashi. A rouge-nin from Mist. The man has lived too long not to be suspicious of everything. He stands tall, but the air around him makes him feel like a giant. He commands attention and respect. You would think through fear but that isn't the case. People respect him, what he has been though, what he does, and what he is willing to do._

_As a prisoner, I was tied to the back of a caravan, naked, with the other prisoners and we walked. We lost four prisoners before we reached the main complex. Three to starvation, one had a heart attack. I just watched him die at the time. I could only watch and wonder if that was going to be me soon enough. Now, I wish it had been me._

_The torture began the moment I came into the complex. The guards took their turns first. Musashi had yet to finish with his meeting and so the men decided to enjoy the fresh meat. But as soon as Musashi came, he knew me. He knew by my pink hair, my accent, he knew exactly who I was. He also refused to believe me. Then it started: broken bone, healed, and broken again. It was a vicious cycle. Still, I gave them the same rehearsed story. They broke my toes one by one. They shut off my chakra stream, pushed their chakra into me, and then let the chakra burst through my body, burning me from the inside. They skinned me. Took off my whole back, without any numbing agent. It came off in a big sheet. And they just let me hang by my wrists. They dislocated after the second day. My fingernails seemed to be their favorite. They still haven't grown back yet. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take it over and over and over again. I would apologize to the Village but I don't seem the use in it now. I'm done apologizing. I told them the truth. Watching my friends die for a village that didn't care one bit about them. That I had continuously questioned why I watched people die, and get used as tools and become shells of their former selves and the entire village gave a shit about was the next generation of ninja. I told them I ran and took a bunch of ANBU bastards with me. I was ready to die than go back. But they were told to bring me back alive. They did eventually catch me but the Hokage had too much of a soft spot for me since I was her apprentice and she gave me a choice. A mission or die. I told them I didn't choose either. I left before I had to make the choice. But this time, I was smarter and didn't alert them._

_They accepted it. Musashi knows when someone is telling him the truth. He nodded and that was all that was needed as an approval. But for good measure continued to torture me, as their plaything. To make sure I wouldn't change my story again. They let me go about four months ago, as an official member of their ranks. There is an initiation. Something must be given up. Something that is precious to you, something that ties you to your village. Musashi decides while he is torturing you. If you came with items and something seemed to be more precious to you than anything. That last piece of the village that you can't let go but he said with me it was hard. I already had distain for my village. He brought out my bag that they had taken from me and slashed my headband. But he said that wasn't good enough. That wasn't enough for me to forget and turn from my life in the village._

_So they cut out my eyes; my green eyes, the color of the forest. That is what my price was to become part of their ranks. Not that I had another choice. They wouldn't have just let me go. They sliced them out with a knife and soaked them in some kind of mixture. Then they put them back, but the nerves don't work anymore. They didn't heal them either, they are just in my eyes held on by tissue. I was too weak to heal myself and by the time I had enough strength, it was too late. _

_It's taken two months to figure out how to write without sight. Chakra is an amazing thing. A ninja who only goes by Gramps has been teaching me to stop relying on my eyes. Infusing chakra with the ink in the pen, I can sort of see the remnants of the chakra in the ink so I can write knowing what I am writing. It was his idea back when one of his old friends started to lose sight from an old wound. It takes serious chakra control but here is the result. He said that I have an amazing knack for it and he has been teaching me other things about not seeing with my eyes._

Kakashi put down the book. He was shaking and he slowed his breathing. Skinned, broken, beaten, torn and what was left was a broken down shell of the happy Sakura he knew. They had cut out her eyes. That's what Ino had said. That was her initiation? Sure, he had been tortured. He had the scars to prove it but losing your eyes to be part of this group at a compound. He shook his head. Sakura should have known she was in over her head. She couldn't have gotten out though. They would have just killed her. He wondered if that had ever crossed her mind. If this had happened to his teammate, he would have put them out of their misery. But she continued with the mission. Or had she? Had she no longer looked at it like a mission but instead a new life? Her drawings of the compound floors were neat but there were little scribbles of names in rooms and times of shifts in the corner. Was this intel for the mission or were these reminders for her? But it also slightly confirmed that something else was going on in the village. Something she was angry over, and thought that the village didn't care about any of the ninja.

He flipped the next page. The writing was straighter this time, and if possible, neater.

_Never would I have thought eyesight was a handicap until now. Gramps passed me onto a couple nin from different hidden villages. I have been learning so much about sensing chakra in everything. Not just ninja. How sound waves echo. Trees breathe. Everything is interconnected. This place may be filled with murderers and some of the worst ninja but it seems more comfortable now than back at the village. Is that wrong of me to say? Even after all the pain I have been through?__/i_

This time Kakashi set the book down on the table. How could Tsunade let him read something like this? Turning off the light, Kakashi laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know Sakura well enough to feel comfortable diving into her raw thoughts. Not after being stripped of her entire definition of herself. It wasn't light reading, like the Hokage said. His eyes bore a hole into the ceiling a little while longer before glancing at the book on the coffee table. He sighed and threw the sheet off him, got the book and brought it back to bed with him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

I figured I owed you guys for taking so long to update. Another chapter! Its a short one but those are good too! :D Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 6:

_This time every month is always interesting. Everyone gathers around waiting for Musashi to announce who and what got updated in the bingo books. It's a running battle between the top agents for recognition. Musashi, however, hasn't been put into the bingo books. Or he has, he is just under "unknown" but no one knows exactly what he has done over the years. Most of us who are in the higher tier are the ones who do all the dirty work and get recognized for it. Which is fine by us._

_This month there were about a dozen updates to the bingo books but I won. That meant I had three favors owed to me, two jutsus, and a month off of kitchen duty. I could feel everyone stare at me as he announced that I had been upgraded to 'Elite' in the bingo books of all the countries now. I am much stronger and I feel as though everything about me has changed but now I really feel like one of them. Maybe, I'll just send in this book. Don't even bother coming back. The elders would be so pissed but what could they do about it. I would be protected, not that it would matter. I don't even think all the ANBU in the village could bring me in anymore. I have two more years to decide. Still, sometimes I wonder how everyone is doing. On days where we can be lazy and lay out in the sun in the grass by the complex, I think about what's going on. Have Sasuke and Naruto finally just accepted that they are in love? Or had Tsunade married that Pervy-sensei? Has Kakashi finally started paying for meals since I'm not there anymore? Did Ino stop shoving her tits in guys' faces to get free drinks? _

_We hear big news here but no village gossip. There are moments where I miss it, but then Taku's son runs up to me wanting to wrestle (he wins every time) and I realize this has become my own village. Bunch of suspicious ninja but when the bastards trust you, you're family. They are my family. They have raised me and I love all of them in their own way. I would die for any of them and I would kill for them too. I guess that really is what it means to be a family village. They aren't like the Hidden Village. We make up the village, so of course we would protect each other. It's how a village should be and I feel like this is home now._

_There is a new guy though. He was brought in with a new batch of prisoners. I have a bad feeling about him. Musashi won't be here for another few months according to the schedule. He is in Mist country right now. I have detailed the mission in the next page. But I think he is a Sand-nin, and not the ex-communicated type. I know allies are supposed to talk to each other about missions and if a mission might overlap jurisdictions but I don't know if I count as a mission or as a ninja for the village anymore. I just hope he's not going to cause trouble._

That had been the last entry that she had written and he shut the book. Kakashi felt like he had violated Sakura's inner mind by reading it. He hadn't put it down the night before. It was fascinating, in a morbidly curious way. She had changed so much. The things they made her do, that she did without question. Much more than Tsunade probably thought when putting her on the mission. It was supposed to bring her home to Konoha. Instead, it pushed her further away. Alienating her not only from the feeling that Konoha was her home, but who she was as a person. Absent mindedly, Kakashi ran his hand through his hair. Tsunade thought he could help Sakura. The last thing she needed was Kakashi. Hell, maybe it would be better for her to leave the village. Would she ever really fit in again?

He still slightly agreed with her. He was reckless on missions, always coming back half-dead. Sakura had become the one thing he had tried so hard to stop from happening. She had become him. Even without the war, she had been broken down, stripped, and rebuilt into a killing machine. He also still had the feeling there was something more to the story than her being fed up with village life.

Today, he was on the roof of the jounin building, Icha Icha Chaos back out. After that book, he needed some light reading.

"Look here, my eternal rival, basking in the glorious light of the day."

Kakashi flipped the page.

"My youthful flowers, before you is the Copy-nin. He is a sight to behold in action. You would do well to learn from him if given the chance."

"Yo." Kakashi waved without looking up from his book.

One of Guy's genin scoffed. Kakashi was saved from further humiliation when an ANBU member jumped onto the roof with them.

"Hatake Kakashi?"

"Hm?" Boy, did they have the greatest timing.

"This scroll is urgent. Read it right away."

Eying the scroll, he released the seal and opened it. Not really paying attention to the departure of the ANBU ninja he read Tsunade's handwriting.

_Sakura woke. She's gone. Find her. You have four hours till I report it._

Well, Guy's students were going get a show after all. Whipping out a scroll from his vest, he bit his thumb and smeared blood across it. All thirteen of his ninken appeared. The students yelped in surprise. Kakakshi leaned down and growled, too low for anyone to hear other than the dogs in front of him.

"Find Sakura, and do it quick."

They were off. Kakashi left Guy and his students on the roof and followed Pakkun.

"Kakashi, I thought she was in the hospital."

"Apparently not anymore."

Pakkun made a sharp turn. "Shiba has picked up her trail."

Nothing else was said as everyone converged on Shiba, who was running through the forest under the hokage monument. Shiba skidded to a halt and a couple dogs yelped in surprise as they tumbled over each other.

"Kakashi, she's…" Pakkun didn't finish.

He knew exactly where she was. He continued up the mountain to stand on the fourths head. Sakura was sitting on the end, one foot dangling off the edge, the other was pulled close to her and her chin was resting on her knee. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, her long pink hair swaying in the wind.

"Yo." Kakashi gave his usual eye crinkle and small wave. He stopped midway, remembering that she was blind.

"You can tell Tsunade to reign her hounds back. I'm not leaving."

Kakashi's eye widened. It didn't even sound like Sakura. Her voice was harsh, on edge, no smile left in her voice. He had to gather himself. Her voice made him shiver.

"Am I not allowed to say hi to my favorite ex-student?"

Sakura didn't say anything. Kakashi walked over to her, leaning against one of the fourths hair spikes.

"There was a time you used to respect me."

"Yeah. Before you bit into a stone sandwich so Naruto could say you had buck teeth and that's why you wore a mask."

Kakashi chuckled. He was surprised to see her look up at him. Her hitai was covering her eyes. It had a sharp gash through the leaf kanji. Her mouth was quirked up, a smirk like he was used to seeing.

"Welcome home Sakura."

Her smirk disappeared off her face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. At all. :P**

Another update! I have actually been continuously writing now. I'm getting back into it, thanks to some great kakasaku tumblr post. :P Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 7:

Kakashi opened the door for Sakura. They walked in complete silence all the way to the Hokage's office. He was worried about Sakura but she seemed to be completely healed. Other than the scars that were visible through her clothes. She had managed to grab an old kendo practice uniform from somewhere. She walked with an air of command, one that demanded respect, no matter if you knew her or not. It was disorienting for Kakashi to look and see this persona with Sakura's vibrant pink hair.

Sakura stood with her hands behind her back, directly inline with Tsunade's chair. But she was very far away from the desk, almost all the way to the back of the wall. Kakashi leaned against the wall, right next to the door. He figured in case things got ugly, it would be the best exit strategy.

"Sakura, it's good to have you back in the village."

She didn't answer.

"I'm glad you have decided to stay. I have spoken with the elders and they think that the amount of information is worthy of your return. They will want to speak with you further down the line but you have proven yourself useful to the village."

With ever word uttered out of Tsunade's mouth, Kakashi watched as Sakura's mouth thinned out and the edges started to turn down. But still she didn't say anything. Tsunade was annoyed at her silence and after a few minutes sighed.

"Because you have been named in the bingo books, your status has been recognized by this village. You are welcome to any missions, including ANBU, after a month. Which is mandated for the amount of injuries that you sustained. Also, I know you don't need to told this but you will never be able to use your eyes again."

For the first time Sakura moved, making a huffing noise. "Will I be issued a new hitai?"

"Good god, she speaks." Tsunade's sarcasm cut the air and Kakashi inched towards the door. "I have talked it over with the elders and they think that it is a fitting punishment that you be reminded of what you once did and tried to do."

Kakashi opened his mouth to protest but Sakura spoke.

"Good. Because it will also be a reminder to you." She stepped forward, and Kakashi watched as Tsunade leaned back in her chair. The air in the room suddenly turned thick and it became hard to breathe. "I am staying in the village of my own will. If I so choose, I will leave if I feel any pressure from you or from the elders. I am an asset to this village and I will be treated like one. Or mark my words Tsunade, you will live to regret ignoring my plea for help after I lost my eyes."

Sakura turned and slammed the door behind her. The air lightened and Kakashi took a couple deep breaths. He watched as Tsunade opened a drawer and pull out a sake set and a new bottle. She poured two cups and downed both of them.

"What did you do to her?"

Tsunade looked up at him, almost as if noticing him for the first time. "I don't know Kakashi. All I know is that she spoke with the elders. That's when she started to act different. It must have been something they said. But, of course, they have no need to speak to the hokage about anything." She spat out the last sentence.

Kakashi looked out at the clear sky outside. "I don't know if I can help her."

"If you can't, then we will lose Sakura. It's only a matter of time. When the Elders have their talk with her, then that's when it will be all over." She took another swig of sake but this time she had forgone the cup and just drank directly from the bottle. "Because I don't think anyone here could stop her if she did turn against the village."

They fell into silence and Kakashi nodded his head before disappeared out the window. He figured the Hokage would want to be left alone with her thoughts. Kakashi had a hard enough time accepting Sakura as she was now. But her mentor, teacher, and second mother would have a much harder time accepting this strong but broken Sakura.

Kakashi walked into the bar. It was crowded but that was expected for a Friday night. Guy was doing some acrobatic move to explain some part of a story as usual. Kakashi managed to slip past Guy's clasp on his shoulder and sat down next to Asuma. Kurenai was sitting across from them, and she smiled at Kakashi.

"So where you there when it happened?"

Kakashi shook his head. She was referring to the fact that there was a giant hole in the hokage's office. Yamato had fixed it best be could but Tsunade had done a number on it. Apparently she still didn't have a hold on her temper.

The waitress brought over another round of drinks. Kakashi downed his almost immediately but not before asking the waitress to bring over some shoji. Guy continued through his story of the mission he definitely shouldn't be telling as loud as he was in a bar that was mostly but not completely full of ninja. The waitress smiled at Kakashi as she set down the drink and he kicked Asuma under the table for chuckling under his breath. Kakashi was not in the mood.

The doors to the bar slammed open and bright yellow hair followed by jet black hair came into the bar. Naruto slammed his foot on the floor and threw his fist into the air.

"Next rounds on me!"

The whole bar cheered and Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sasuke looked over at Kakashi and was about to tap Naruto on the shoulder but the blonde shouted startling everyone.

"Sakura-chan?!"

Kakashi's head whipped in the direction Naruto was looking and sure enough, in the corner, was a pink haired kunoichi with her nose in a very familiar orange book. Getting up, Kurenai gave him a sloppy salute and smile as he left the table and followed the two who now were making a beeline for the table. Naruto sat next to her and Sasuke slid in the bench seat across from her.

"Sakura-chan, aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Baka, she's not _supposed_ to be in the hospital. She ended up in the hospital, and now she is healed. We just got back from a mission. You can't expect her to come find us while we were gone."

Naruto whined and then he looked over to Kakashi who was walking towards them with his new bottle of shoji and the sake that Sakura had ordered. He set it down on the table and pushed it towards Sakura, slightly knocking into the one that was empty. Plopping down next to Sausuke, he gave Naruto an eye crinkle.

"How was your mission, boys?"

"It went well! We had to deal with some crazy politicians that kept hiring rogue ninja to off each other. But then they kept hiring the same ninja and they would get paid double but no one was dealt with. It was not fun."

Kakashi watched as Sasuke gave a nervous glance to Sakura. "Naruto, should you be talking about the mission?"

Kakashi made a small wave. "Both Sakura and I are higher rank than you two. So if we wanted to read the mission report we could."

Both of them, jaws open, stared at Sakura. She happened to be in the middle of a sip of sake and she froze mid-swig. Shrugging after a few seconds, she downed the rest of the cup and poured another.

"Sakura-chan, why are you taking after Kakashi-sensei and reading that smut?"

Naruto grabbed the book out of her hands and flipped through the book. Kakashi was about to take the book away but Naruto huffed.

"They are just blank pages! What the hell are you reading blank pages for?"

Naruto passed the book to Sasuke and he flipped through the book too. Kakashi leaned over, confused but sure enough; the bound book was completely blank. Not single ink marking on it. Sasuke cocked his head to the side slightly and then activated his Sharingan. Quickly he slammed the book closed and his face went completely red. He cleared his throat and handed the book back to Sakura who took it gently. She set it on the table, her hands on top of it protectively.

"It's not blank." Sasuke was looking out the window when he mumbled the words.

"What? How is it not blank?" Naruto looked from Sasuke to Sakura.

"It's chakra ink. It uses chakra instead of black ink to show the images and text on the page. It keeps from prying eyes trying to read it."

It was the first time Sakura spoke to them. They looked at her as though she was a new breed of animal. Her tone had taken Kakashi off guard but he wasn't as bad as these two. They just stared. He watched Sakura start to shift in her seat. Kakashi cleared his throat and Naruto blinked, the first to recover.

"Why would you do that to Pervy-sensei's books?"

"Jiraiya did it for me actually." Sakura said quietly.

Naruto slammed his hands down on the table. "You saw Pervy-sensei?! When? Where? How was he?"

Kakashi was stunned as well. There was no mention of Jiraiya in her book. But then, he couldn't expect her to add everything that went on. But seeing Jiraiya would have been something of an event.

"It was a couple years ago Naruto. He actually helped me transfer all the books over. Meanwhile he wrote me a special one. We were together for a few months. I learned quite a bit from him. He is a very good teacher."

This floored everyone in the booth. She had a lot of tricks up her sleeve. Kakashi wasn't surprised about that. Sakura no longer trusted the village. There might be a lot she was keeping from the book. Suddenly, she burst into cherry blossoms. She reappeared standing at the end of the table.

"Next round is on me. Enjoy your evening." Sakura set down money on the table and turned to go. But before she took a step she turned to Sasuke. "Take good care of him. I'm just glad you too are finally accepting your relationship for what it is." With that, she walked out of the bar, book open and head buried in it.

"What was…"

Kakashi smiled. "I do believe that was her blessing" He got up and turned to the boys. "She's known about you two before _you_ even realized it. She's been a better friend to you guys than you were ever to her."

With a small eye crinkle and a short wave, he exited the bar as well. Jogging, he figured he could catch up to Sakura. He had some questions for her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.** (Though I wish I did cause there is no WAY Sakura and Sauske belong together at the end. But that just ME! :)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 8:

Kakashi wasn't able to find Sakura that night, or any of time for that matter. She was better at avoiding everyone than Kakashi was. Sometimes you would catch a glance of her somewhere and if you blinked or turned away for a second she was gone. Naruto and Sasuke had also been looking for her but they never came close. Though, Kakashi wasn't surprised that she wouldn't show herself to those two. Her blessing the night at the bar also sounded like a farewell.

It had been two months and Kakashi figured Tsunade had already put her to work for the village. Or if it wasn't Tsunade, it would be the Elders unwilling to waste Sakura's talent. An ANBU popped up on the roof where Kakashi was enjoying the sun and handed him a scroll. He sighed. No rest for the wicked. The scroll didn't detail a mission, just to meet in the Hokage's office in an hour. Kakashi put his book back over his face and fell back asleep.

Kakashi knocked on the door to the Hokage's office and entered. He was two hours late and he scratched his head, giving his usual eye crinkle to Tsunade. She looked like she was going to pop a vein. Kenshi gave a small wave to Kakashi. He was sitting in a chair next to Yamato who gave Kakashi a smile.

"Sorry I'm late Hokage-sama. You see, there was this bird being chased by…"

Tsunade waved him off. "I expected this from you. But we are still waiting on one more." She tapped her pencil against the desk. "I sent six ANBU already. Not a single one had come back."

Kakashi looked from Yamato to Tsunade. What was going on? As if reading his mind, Kenshi shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't like being hunted down in my own village." Sakura walked into the room and everyone stood a little straighter.

"Maybe if you didn't make it so hard to find you, I wouldn't need to hunt you."

Sakura sighed. "I have been home all day."

Tsunade looked at her and threw her hands up. Kenshi and Yamato stood next to Kakashi, giving Sakura a wide area. Sakura was still wearing a keikogi and hakama, the uniform for kendo. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail again, but her hair was so long. Kakashi wondered if she took the ponytail out if it reached the floor. It seemed like it would get in the way if she were to use taijutsu. She wore her hitai across her bandaged eyes, giving her the look of one eye in the center. All in all, Sakura was a force to behold.

"I have a mission for all four of you. Since you have been taking a couple months, I'm setting you up with an A-class mission. That should be a good enough warm up for you."

She was trying to insult but the only one who still showed any type of emotion was Kenshi and he crossed his arms over his chest but didn't say a word.

"What's the mission?" Yamato asked.

"It's a simple information gather. There are reports of an uprising in Earth country. They want someone outside Earth Country to look at it. They don't know who to trust and who might be part of the rebellion. We don't have much to go on so I expect you to be gone for a couple months at least. Once you gather as much information, you are to leave_, immediately_." Tsunade emphasized the last word, but she was looking at Sakura. "This is an inter-country dispute. You are not to take any action while you are on this mission. Is that understood?"

Everyone but Sakura replied with yes. Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair. "You leave tomorrow. Get out of here."

She handed Kakashi the scroll with the mission details and they all turned to leave. Kenshi turned into the first available room and Yamato after him. It looked like Sakura was going past the door and Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head towards him.

"Mission planning."

"You can debrief me on the way. We have days of travel time."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. That was definitely not like Sakura to skip any part of a mission. "You know we need to set up our plans and roads to take and avoid."

She signed and then turned into the room. Taking a chair, she turned it around and sat in it backwards, her chin resting on her arms that were crossed over the back of the chair. Kakashi closed the door behind him and released the scroll. He laid it out on the table and Kenshi scooted closer to the table.

"That's a big area to search."

"That isn't even a guarantee. It's just based off of rumors. We might have to comb through all of Earth in order to find these guys. We don't know how big the gathering might be. They could be tiny and be a small little camp or it could be a whole army. So we should start with that area, and then expand our search."

Sakura got up and everyone moved away a little bit. She put her hand on the map. "Show me."

Kakashi looked at other two ninja and they shrugged, confused as he was.

She signed. "Take my finger, run it along the edge of the map of Earth, then run my finger over the circle that they have put in the map. Then touch where the hidden village is."

Kakashi nodded and then signed. She couldn't see his motion. So he just gently placed his hand on top of hers. It was soft, a lot softer than he would think considering the type of jutus that she used. Sakura curled back her fingers except her pointer finger and Kakashi guided it along the ink lines that were Earth country. He placed her finger on the page where the hidden village was and quickly took his hand off of hers. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he let go. He took a couple steps back and leaned against the wall. Both Kenshi and Yamato were staring intently at Sakura.

"They are wrong."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. "Wrong? You mean the placement of the map?"

She shook her head. "Where the rebellion is. That circle is actually full of traps. They let rumors drop that they were in the southern part of the country so that if anyone tried to look for them, they would be caught and killed without seeing anything."

She moved her finger from the hidden village up to the northeast. "They are here. There was only about two hundred of them but that was years ago."

"How would you know that?" Kenshi was eyeing her suspiciously.

"Because my command was the ones who put in the traps. We were hired because we had so many different types of missing-nin that all the traps are from almost every country. After that, we took our payment up in the northeast." Sakura leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "They may have moved but we know for sure, they aren't in the place with the circle."

All three of them just looked at her, jaws dropped. Kakashi leaned over the map again and cleared his throat.

"If that's the case, then we will take the road that goes north, up the western boarder of Fire, and keep west of Waterfall as well. And make our way into Earth that way." Kakashi traced the map of the line they would be taking.

"Do we need to wear anything special?"

Kakashi shook his head. "You should wear normal civilian clothes. We don't want to be spotted as Leaf-nin. That would involve our country. Bring your hitai though, incase we run into anything in Fire Country."

Sakura opened the door and took her leave. Kenshi was about to call her but Kakashi shook his head.

"Do you trust her Kakashi?" Yamato asked.

"Yes, I trust her. I trust that she wouldn't want her teammates to be hurt. I trust that her information is good."

Yamato nodded. "Good enough."

"How is that good enough? I mean her hitai was slashed. She was half dead in a compound of missing-nin. How can you trust her?"

Kakashi gave an eye crinkle to Kenshi. "Because she has been through more than anyone you or I will ever meet and she survived."

He looked at the door she walked out of moments before. He didn't know if he was trying to convince himself of the fact but it sounded good. Kakashi knew all too well exactly what a person was capable of when broken.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Hope you enjoy guys! A bit of a long one. :)

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Chapter 9:

"Can we take a break please?" Kenshi readjusted his backpack.

"We aren't that far away from the border Kenshi, can't you wait?" Kakashi sighed as he stopped and turned around to look at him.

Kenshi looked at Yamato who was next to him. "Come on, back me up on this. We have been walking forever. We could just stop for lunch at one of these restaurants."

They had left about six days ago. They weren't making the best progress but they also weren't in a hurry. Kenshi had been able to keep up with the three far superior ninja but he was starting to lag behind the past day. Kakashi couldn't blame him either. It had been the most awkward start to a mission that he had ever been on. Yamato and Kenshi didn't trust Sakura and Sakura didn't care. She hadn't spoken a single word.

The border to Earth Country was only a couple hours away and this was one of the last towns they would see for a while. Still, they needed to keep moving.

"There is a good barbeque place here."

They all turned their heads to Sakura. She was a little ways ahead of all of them, usually taking the lead until Kakashi had to tell her she needed to turn east or west. But she always slept away from them, took first watch, and ate by herself.

"What?" Kakashi didn't quite believe what he heard.

Sakura turned around. "There is a good barbeque place in this town. It's near the end." She paused. "If we were going to stop for lunch."

Kakashi looked from her to Kenshi, who looked like he was going to cry with happiness. He sighed and shook his head. "Fine. Lunch break. But never again until the way back."

Kenshi nodded but he had a huge grin on his face. He raced up to Sakura. "So where is this place?"

"It's one of the shops at the very end. As we get closer you'll be able to smell it."

Kenshi squealed and raced down the street.

"Well, there is an interesting turn of events." Yamato walked with Kakashi behind Sakura. "I didn't think you would give in."

"I wasn't." Kakashi was staring at Sakura's hair as it swayed while she walked.

"Then?"

"She actually spoke. She actually took Kenshi's side."

Yamato chuckled. "I don't know if I would take it that far Kakashi. It could be as simple as she was tired of him complaining."

Kakashi shrugged. "At this point, I think she would have just killed him." He gave Yamato an eye crinkle. Kakashi didn't notice that Sakura had stopped and ran into her full force. His eye widened and he reached out for her arm and caught her before she fell. She swung her head to look at him but all that was looking at him were her bandages.

"Watch where you're going Kakashi." She growled.

Caught off guard by her anger, he stammered. "Sorry."

She ripped her arm out of his grasp and rolled her shoulders. "The barbeque place is right here." Sakura pointed to the door. Kenshi was hunched over reading the chalkboard sign that had the specials scrawled on it.

"Sakura-sama, I don't think we can afford this place."

Sakura waved her hand started to walk in. "It's fine. Kakashi is paying."

Yamato and Kenshi looked at Kakashi who was wide eyed as he watched Sakura disappear into the building. Kenshi was the first one who burst out laughing and followed after Sakura. Yamato patted Kakashi on the back with a smile and went inside too. After a long sigh, Kakashi followed his teammates in the restaurant.

There was a man and woman bowed low in front of Sakura. Kenshi and Yamato were looking at each other confused. Kakashi came in between them, looking at the two people bowed.

"Gekkabijin-sama, thank you for choosing our humble restaurant. Please enjoy, anything you would like." The man straightened a little and grabbed a very scared waiter next to him. "Yatsu will be happy to help you with anything you need."

"Thank you. My associates and I would like a table in the back. We are only stopping a short time. So we will have your best. And bring a bottle a sake as well as waters." Sakura had the same tone as she did when speaking with Tsunade. The commanding air that made it nearly impossible to speak against.

"Yes Gekkabijin-sama. Yatsu will show you to your table." The man and woman moved to the side and the waiter showed the four ninja to a table near the back. The restaurant was fairly busy and though the front was noisy, the back was far quieter.

"We will bring your food and drinks as soon as we can." The waiter bowed and nearly ran away.

Kenshi was the first to speak but he didn't say it louder than a whisper. "What was that about?"

"We used to visit this place on our way into Earth country. I'm a bit recognizable. If and when it happens, you will defer to me. Understand? Otherwise you guys just might end up on the wrong side of a battle." She leaned back in the bench. "One that has nothing to do with you or the village."

"But why did they call you Gekkabijin-sama?"

The rare smirk that graced Sakura's face made everyone at the table smile. She rummaged through her little bag that was about the third of the size as everyone else had and brought a small little book. Flipping through it, she turned to a page and gave it to Kenshi.

As he read the page, the smile fell off his face and his eyes got a little wider. His face turned to slightly afraid and his jaw started to drop. Then he turned the page. Still continued to read.

"Do not attempt to catch. You will die. If spotted, run."

Sakura's smirk grew a little. "That was added on recently. But I wasn't known as Sakura. That name was stripped of me. Instead they named me after another flower, the Gekkabijin. It blooms only once a year. Beautiful when closed, but when it blooms it is devastatingly gorgeous."

It took Kakashi a minute to realize that she was quoting someone else. He wondered if it was the leader of the compound that said that. Considering he was probably the one that renamed her. Four plates being delivered to the table interrupted his train of thought. The smell of the meat made everyone's mouth water.

"Your sa-sake and water." The waiter placed the bottle and glasses on the table. He bowed and ran away again.

"This is so good." Kenshi mumbled as he shoved more food into his mouth. "Seriously this is the best food I have ever had." He shoveled more but the next sentence was just mumbles between chews.

"Sakura, I'm glad you decided to say something. This is very good." Yamato was wiping his mouth with his napkin, his plate already empty.

"Order another Yamato if your still hungry."

Kakashi made a slight coughing noise.

"I was kidding about paying for this Kakashi. This is on me." Sakura took another bite.

"I'll take another one!" Kenshi's plate was empty but half of it was still in his mouth.

"Chew and swallow. I'll get it." Yamato motioned to the waiter to bring two more.

Kakashi leaned back, his plate empty. "That was very good."

"Tastes better when you know you aren't paying for it huh Kakashi?" Kenshi had finally swallowed and gave him a wink.

After three plates for both Kenshi and Yamato, one more for Kakashi, and a second bottle of sake for Sakura they headed out. The man and woman bowed and Sakura handed them an envelope. They looked like they were going to cry. Sakura gave a quick bow to the couple and walked out. They started to head out again but four gentlemen blocked their path, one with his hand on his hip.

"Gekkabijin-sama, its good to see you." He growled.

Sakura stepped forward. Kakashi was about to as well but she put her hand out.

"Gonzu, its nice to see you." Sakura's words dripped with venom.

"I'm surprised to find you alive. After what happened to the compound, we figured everyone was dead. I'm sure Musashi will be delighted to hear that you are alive."

Sakura walked forward. The men next to the man named Gonzu stepped back but he stood his ground. She was about a foot away from him before she stopped.

"I'm surprised you're still alive too. Considering it was _your_ decision to let that Sand-nin out of the prison. Maybe I should just kill you now under the suspicious of working with him. Trying to take down the compound."

The color in Gonzu's face drained.

"You don't think Musashi already knows I'm alive? You are more of an idiot than I thought." Her hand rested on his shoulder and suddenly the air pressure dropped. The wind started to whip around Sakura. But the man in front of her started to turn a shade of blue. Kakashi watched as her hand started to grip his shoulder in a death grip, holding the quickly fading nin. Stepping forward, Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Gekkabijin-sama, should we not be on our way?"

The wind stopped and the air slowly went back to normal. Sakura's grip loosened and Gonzu fell to the floor. The other three nin came forward and lifted him up.

"Remember who you are speaking to next time Gonzu. I could tell Musashi exactly what happened. Or I could just kill you. Keep that in mind." She turned in her heel and walked back to Kakashi. "Don't get in my way again," she growled at him.

The four blocking the way half ran to the side of the road. The walk until Earth Country was done in silence. Kenshi stayed back with Yamato and Kakashi walked next to Sakura. She had pulled out her book and was walking with her head buried in it.

"Is that the special edition one Jiraiya wrote for you?"

She regarded him and sometimes he wondered if she could see him. Continuously she would turn her head to him as though she was looking at him.

"Yes, it is. He wrote and drew this one for me while we trained and worked on transferring his other works." She looked up at the sky. "I ran into him and he though what a pity someone wasn't able to read his wonderful works. So I showed him how I write and he thought what an ingenious way to get everything past the countries regulations. So I taught him how to work with it. We also put our heads together to not use ink and just chakra. In return he taught me a couple of jutsu's as well. He ended up writing a special book for me." A slight coloring came to her cheeks. "He is quite masterful with a pen."

"May I?" Kakashi was hesitant to ask but curious ever since she had mentioned that there was a one of a kind Icha Icha back in the bar.

Her fingers tapped the cover before she closed the page she was on and passed it over to him. He lifted his eye patch and activated his Sharingan. Starting at the first page he began to read and the color rose to his face. This might just be one of Jiraiya's best. The description was lovely and as he turned to the second page and the illustration on the pages were incredible. He was lost in the book as they were walking until he felt a soft hand touch the side of his face.

"Sakura, what…" He didn't finish as he felt chakra seep into the side of his head and wind its way to his eye. Kakashi closed his eyes as he felt the gentle massage of healing on his eye with the Sharingan. A noise escaped him, sounding like a moan but he bit his lip.

"You should take better care of your eye." Her chakra disappeared as well as her hand from his face.

He opened his eyes, to Yamato and Kenshi giving him rye smiles next to him. Sakura had already started walking again. He looked down and realized the book was gone from his hands. Sakura had her face buried in it again. Sighing, Kakashi shoved his hands in his pocket and continued behind Sakura, between Yamato and Kenshi who were taking turns waggling their eyebrows at him. He grabbed both of their heads and knocked them into each other.

But his gaze refocused on the back of Sakura. How did she know that Sharingan had been hurting him of late? As much as he felt like he had violated her personal being by reading her book, he realized there was much more than just what she put in the book. She was going to kill that man if Kakashi hadn't intervened. But she also began healing Kakashi without a second thought. Maybe Kakashi could get to the bottom of what was going on. But if she turned, he had no doubt she wouldn't hesitate to try kill him too. He sighed and scratched his head. What had Tsunade gotten him into with her request?


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. *sigh***

I keep going back and forth about this chapter but Im putting it here. So its done! :) I may come back and edit it. There is something that is a little wrong (not gonna say what) but once I change it, then this will disappear and no one will be the wiser. :D Hehehe. Enjoy guys. I do love the end part though. :P

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Chapter 10:

They camped in Earth country for the evening but picked up the pace since they were closer to their mission objective. They kept to the unmarked paths instead of the roads. Kakashi differed to Sakura as they closed in to the place she had last seen the rebellion group. There was a mountain range between them and the place Sakura pointed out.

"There are tunnels though the mountain but those aren't known by anyone other than the people who know about the rebellion. And who knows if we could go unnoticed." Sakura ran her fingers over the map.

Kakashi nodded. "It would be better, though it would take longer, to go over the mountain range. But it would also allow us the advantage of the high ground."

"It's going to take us much longer than anticipated. We also don't know the cliffs on the other side of the mountain. It's a huge risk." Sakura had her face towards Kenshi when she spoke.

"We can take that chance. If we got caught in the tunnels, the mountain could collapse. Or worse, we could be taken as prisoners, giving the rebel army justification for an attack."

Kakashi rolled up the map and stuffed it in his bag. The wind had already picked up and the temperature dropped drastically. They couldn't keep a fire for fear of the smoke being noticed but the wind wouldn't allow a flame to even stay burning. As they got further up it began to snow.

"I don't know if this was such a good idea." Kenshi yelled over the wind.

"Kenshi, just keep walking. Save your breath."

Kakashi was leading the way. Sakura was behind him, then Kenshi and Yamato bringing up the rear. They swapped places as being the path maker in the snow. Sakura tapped Kakashi's shoulder and he stopped, letting her take the lead. He waited till Yamato passed him and continued as the rear. An hour later Sakura motioned them to stop and yelled down to Kakashi.

"We are at the top. Did you want to look to see where we should go down?"

Kakashi walked back up and looked down. Sure enough, there was a small plateau before it dropped down in the valley. The wind was harsh but you could still see the land down below. Kenshi ran to the edge and spread his arms out.

"Finally! We can head down to warmth." He smiled and started to climb down.

"Kenshi! No!" Sakura ran forward but she was too late.

Kenshi started to fall down the mountain. The snow had created a false edge on the mountain and it dropped down a lot sharper than the angle they came up. Kenshi used chakra in his hands to try and grab the ledge but the snow wasn't allowing him to reach the mountainside. Kakashi jumped into action and his hand blurred in a fury of hand signs. The side of the mountain burst out in a hand like shape and caught Kenshi.

"Yamato!" Sakura yelled and Yamato pulled out the rope he had brought and threw the end at Sakura. She jumped off the edge of the mountain and ran in the path Kenshi had created. Landing on the platform Kakashi had created, she leaned over Kenshi.

"Kenshi, what hurts?"

He coughed. "Everything."

She flicked his forehead. "Baka. You're a ninja. You should know better."

Kenshi chuckled and started to cough. Sakura began healing him. He had a couple broken ribs, most likely from the force of hitting the platform but she also fixed his fingers that he had been trying to grab onto the mountainside.

"Sakura?" Kakashi's voice floated down.

"He's fine. He should be embarrassed. I've healed him but I don't want to move him yet." Sakura looked at Kenshi and sighed. His ribs were fixed but his body needed to recover from the stress. She also didn't know if he hit his head. There was no blood but his eyes were slightly dilated.

The rope started to sway and Yamato jumped down. He leaned over Kenshi and shook his head.

"We are going to split up. Kakashi gave me a copy of the map. We will meet up at the place the rebellion is supposed to be. He said we have already wasted enough time."

Sakura nodded. She climbed up the side of the mountain. Jumping to the top, Kakashi had his arms crossed over his chest.

"I think that I should stay back with Kenshi. I'm the head medic. If he needs anymore healing if something is worse…"

Kakashi put up his hand. "I understand that. However you are the one who has been to the camp before. And I need your sense of where we are in location to where they are. You have healed him. That should be enough. I trust in your healing skills that you didn't miss anything. He also a fairly good medic himself."

He watched as she balled up her fist but said nothing.

"It will allow them to find a different way down, one not so steep. We can climb down. We will meet up with them an a few days."

Kakashi leaned over and yelled down to Yamato that they were leaving. Sakura followed behind Kakashi as he walked around the plateau, finding a better place to climb down the mountain. It was little over a mile before there was finally a grade Kakashi felt comfortable going down.

"I'll go first. If you lose your footing, yell. I'll do my best to catch you."

Sakura didn't say a word she just nodded, pulling her coat in tighter to her body. Kakashi turned around and started to climb down the mountain. Sakura waited and then followed him. It was a slow progress, getting rid of the snow, using chakra to continue climbing down. After what seemed like an eternity, the wind and snow finally stopped. It was beginning to become warmer and the mountain was slick with the melted snow. Sakura's foot slipped and she started to slide down. She pressed her whole body into the mountain and rerouted chakra to her whole front side to stop her decent. It worked but Kakashi had also grabbed her arm as she passed him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Sakura leaned away from the mountainside and continued her slow decent.

Kakashi watched her for a little bit before he started up his decent again as well. It was a good chunk of time before they reached an almost level ground. Sakura reached it first and she sat down with her back against the mountain. Kakashi jumped down and stretched.

"Next time we are going through the tunnels."

Kakashi chuckled and held his hand out for Sakura. Sighing, he tapped the top of her hand. She lifted her hand and he took it, pulling her up. They walked a little ways before they hit a grassy plain. Kakashi hadn't been this far northeast in Earth Country.

"The ocean isn't far away from here."

He looked over at Sakura. She was walking with her palms slightly turned out, almost as if she was feeling the air on her hands.

"How far are we?" Kakashi pulled out his map.

"There should be a village in the east and beyond that is a forest that grows into the mountain. That's where they were holed up. I don't know how long it will be though from here." Sakura pulled out her book from her bag and started to walk.

Kakashi walked next to her. They found a path not too long into their walk but it took two days before they ran into anyone. It was turning dark as they walked into the village. They hadn't uttered a word to each other the entire time other than when Kakashi said it was time to camp.

"We should stay here for the night." Kakashi turned towards an inn with its lights on.

"Great, so we will be staying in a warm bed and your teammates are up on a cold mountain freezing their asses off. Some leader you are."

Kakashi took her wrist and turned her towards him, keeping a tight grip on her. "I made a decision Sakura. We were running out of supplies. I know you have been giving Kenshi your nutrient bars. I gave them everything we had in way of food because if we would have stayed we, would have run out of food." She tried to get him to let go of her wrist but he just tightened his grasp. "It would have taken much longer taking an injured person down that side of the mountain and probably would need to stop more. We just didn't have the resources. So I made a call. As the leader that's the decision I made and will live with." He let go of her wrist. "They could already be at the base of the mountain but they will need to take the trip here slow to make sure Kenshi is okay."

Sakura didn't say anything. She followed Kakashi into the inn and the woman inside greeted them with a smile.

"Do you have two rooms available?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart, we only have one. But I know the inn a few doors down also has one room if you don't mind being separated."

Kakashi scratched the top of his head making an awkward chuckle. Sakura stepped forward.

"We will take the one room, thank you." Sakura put down the money. "And if you could send us two meals up to our room, that would be lovely."

The woman handed her the key and Sakura bowed her head. Kakashi followed Sakura up the stairs and to the room marked FOUR. The room was clean but tiny. There was one bed. It was larger than a single but not by much. Sakura ran her hands along the walls and Kakashi watched as she got her bearings. So many times he forgot she was blind.

"You take the bed old man. I'll take the floor over here." Sakura pointed to the space between the wall and bed. "While your taking a shower I'm going to ask for extra blankets."

Kakashi looked at the bathroom. "I don't need to take a shower."

"Kakashi." She stuck her head back in the room from the hallway.

"Hm?"

"Take a shower. Otherwise you won't get the bed and you will sleep in the forest where the animals will keep you company." Sakura slammed the door after her.

Kakashi lifted his shirt and sniffed. His nose wrinkled. Throwing everything off, he closed the bathroom door. The water was even hot and the inn provided soap. He was glad that they ended up staying in this one.

He turned off the water and grabbed the towel. Wrapping it around himself, he opened the door. Kakashi froze as Sakura was sitting on the bed, reading her book. Her head looked up at him and Kakashi's heart began to race. He didn't think she would be back that soon.

"Kakashi?"

"Yes?" His voice cracked slightly.

"I just thought I would remind you, I'm blind." She tapped the bandages around her eyes. "But I can hear your heart beating from all the way over here."

Kakashi coughed and took a deep breath. His face was flushed red but it got even worse when he noticed she had a smirk on her face. Closing her book, she set it down on the bed. She waited for him to move out of the doorway.

"I hope you didn't take all the hot water. I already ate. Meal is on the desk. Not half bad." She mumbled the last sentence.

Sakura closed the door and Kakashi got dressed quickly. He put his shirt on but for the first time in a while he decided to forgo the mask. She was right, of course. She was blind. His secret would be safe at least in her presence. Sitting down on the bed, he reached out for the book she had left on the bed and activated Sharingan, picking up where he left off.

"You really shouldn't use that eye."

Kakashi looked up to see Sakura, clad in just a large shirt and her shorts toweling her hair. He was wrong; her hair didn't it the floor. But it waved just past her knees.

"That's what Hokage-sama always tells me every time I go into the hospital. She says I will go blind in that eye if I keep using it."

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him, still drying off her hair. "She's right. The nerves and tissue weren't put in correctly. And because you have been using it so much for this long, it's going to start to create irreversible damage." She sighed; the towel lay across her lap. "I would know."

"Sakura…"

"I could fix it."

Kakashi looked up from the book. "What?"

"Your eye. I could fix it. It would take about a month of daily work. But I could do it. You probably wouldn't be able to go on missions for a few months after that. But I could fix yours as it is now. If it gets worse I'm not sure if I could." She was gripping her towel tightly. "Losing your eyesight isn't half as awesome as you think it may be."

"I will think about your offer Sakura."

She nodded and then got off the bed, lying down on the pile of blankets she had brought back. Kakashi turned off the lights. He continued to read but he was also aware of Sakura rolling around on the floor.

"How did you know I was giving Kenshi my meals?"

"I caught you once and then another time. When was the last time you actually ate?"

There was a long pause from Sakura. "Near the base of the mountain, before we started to climb."

Kakashi looked over at space between the wall. That was days ago. How did she still have the strength to walk up the mountain, heal Kenshi, make the trip down, and then the two days it took to get to village? He leaned back against the wall and looked down at the book in his hands. Why was he so surprised? Sakura put the mission and her teammates first. At least that hadn't changed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. LE SIGH.**

This one I also struggled with a little. 3 But, enjoy! :D

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Chapter 11:

Kakashi woke up to an empty room. Sakura's blankets were folded up on the floor and there was no sign of her. She had also taken the book again. He had fallen asleep halfway through. He didn't realize how tired he was until he laid back completely while reading. It also was straining using Sharingan so much. But it was worth it. Jiriaya had really outdone himself this time. The plot was spot on and the description was fantastic. He wondered if Sakura had an input for the characters. A strong female protagonist pitted against an antagonist who couldn't be defined as evil, just misguided.

Getting fully dressed, mask and eye patch, Kakashi ventured downstairs with his bag in tow. Sakura was sitting in the restaurant section of the inn, drinking tea. She seemed lost in though, the book open but face down on the table.

"You could have woken me up."

Sakura shrugged and took another sip of tea. "Maybe you should have gone to sleep earlier."

Kakashi chuckled. "We need to stock up on supplies today."

"I ran a few hours back towards the mountain but didn't spot them. You may be right and they took a different way down the mountain. Let's hope so."

She seemed upset still. Not at Kakashi though. He knew she understood why he made the decision he did.

"You shouldn't have wasted your energy. They will meet up with us soon enough."

"I do what I want with my free time and energy Kakashi."

The tone she used when she took command. Reminding everyone that she was fully committed to the mission, and nothing more. Kakashi leaned his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands. He thought for a second but shrugged.

"What did the Elders say?" Kakashi asked as nonchalantly as possible.

Sakura's head jerked to look at him. He hit the nail on the head. She didn't say anything for a while, her lips turned white as she pursed them together.

"It's none of your business Kakashi."

He leaned back. "Frankly, I think your wrong about that. You were my student and then counted you as one of my friends before you left. I would like an apology for leaving me alone with those two numbskulls…" Sakura looked like she wanted to kill him. "But I know I won't get one. But you would think running away would be something you would want to talk to your friends about first."

"You think you know more than you do." Her voice was very low.

"Enlighten me Sakura."

She stood, her hands planted firmly on the table. "You have crossed a line Kakashi. If you wish to know, why don't you just ask the Elders themselves? Since your so fascinated." Her voice completely changed. Instead of a low simmering anger it was just moments before it seemed to ebb into simple annoyance.

Sakura stormed out and Kakashi scratched his head. It was probably not the best time to confront her about that. Considering they still needed to finish the mission, and part of it they were going to have to part of it was just going to be them. He thanked the woman at the inn and made his way through town. Kakashi gathered some supplies and headed to the end of the village. Sakura was leaning against a tree, waiting for him. They continued to walk down the path until the path veered north. The forest was already ahead of them so they walked in the grass before they took to the trees.

Midday came and went but a few hours after midday Sakura stopped and motioned Kakashi over. He had tried to keep up with her but she refused to let him. Jumping on the branch with her, Kakashi gingerly scooted closer.

"Do you smell that?"

Kakashi sniffed the air. It smelled like the forest with maybe a little rain. But there was a hint of... "Smoke?"

She nodded. "More than that. Death and smoke. Mission starts now. What should we do?"

Kakashi lowed himself on the tree. "Mask your presence. Let's get closer. I didn't think we would find them so soon. Looks like you were correct."

She nodded. They masked their chakra signatures and quietly made their way further into the forest. Not too far, there was a large encampment. They had cut many of the trees to make more room. Tents, makeshift guard towers, and a couple other buildings made up the clearing. Kakashi was about to make a sign to start taking notes but realized she wouldn't see them. He started to make his way over but watched as she sat down and took out her book and pen. She already knew what to do. Mildly he thought back to her perfect drawings of the compound and wondered just how she got such a good bearing about where everything was.

While she was doing that, Kakashi wanted a closer look. He jumped down and made his way through the camp. It was for the most part empty. But Kakashi still made an extra effort not to be spotted. A couple of men walked out of one of the better-looking buildings. They looked important and so Kakashi ventured to guess it was the captain's office.

Making sure there was no one inside, Kakakshi made his way into building. Sure enough, there were plans, supply routes, strode over a couple of different tables. He lifted his eye patched and went through the papers one by one with sharingan, a guarantee that he could reproduce the pictures exactly. Making his way out of the building, he made it back to the spot where they had come in but there was no sign of Sakura. Where was she?

Then he saw a blur of pink hair on the other side of the camp. He jumped around the trees to see the pit that was in the corner away from the rest of the camp. The pit was full of bodies of the young, old, male, female. Kakashi jumped on the branch that Sakura was perched on.

"I can smell it."

"It doesn't look much better."

Her shoulders were shaking. Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder. "You know our orders. Leave this to the Hidden Valley. They will destroy this place."

"We could just do it ourselves and save them the hassle." She was angry.

"Yes, but that means we would be attacking Earth. We don't want a war on our hands." Kakashi turned. "I think we have enough information. They aren't worried about infiltration."

"Large mountains give them a false sense of security."

Sakura put her finger to her lips. Kakashi looked around and then saw it, a large group of soldiers marching back to the camp. There had to be around a thousand of them. They were trained and then there were a few ninja in the trees. Sakura and Kakashi took cover, hiding from the ninja who were jumping in the trees. They waited until the all went into the camp before the moved from their spots and ran further away from the encampment.

"Well, the mountain and a over a thousand soldiers. We could take them out tonight. No one would know."

Kakashi shook his head. "It's not our fight Sakura." He scanned the area they stopped in. "I think we should move into the denser part forest for the evening. In the morning we can skirt the mountainside. See if we can find Yamato and Kenshi."

Sakura didn't say a word but followed Kakashi when he moved from the branch he had been crouched on. It turned dark before Kakashi found a suitable spot for them to sleep. Far enough away from the camp not to be bothered by patrols but still near the area where they were supposed to meet the other half of the team.

Kakashi settled down on a branch and leaned against the trunk of a tree. Sakura had found a nook within the roots of a tree and was curled up into it. With her blanket over her, you wouldn't even notice her. As long as her bright pink hair stayed under the blanket as well. At the moment it was spread over one of the trunks of the tree. Closing his eyes, Kakashi listened to the sound of the forest, finding it oddly comforting.

Kakashi opened his eyes to Sakura leaning over her. Her body straddling him and her face was within inches of Kakash's face.

"I smell something." Her nose wrinkled. "It smells like a mixture of sweat, blood, and compost."

Without another word, Sakura turned and jumped down from the tree. Kakashi blinked, still reeling from being woken up with Sakura being in his face so much. He jumped down after her and she headed south until they hit the foot of the mountain. They ran along the side of the mountain for a good hour and then Sakura stopped. There was a cave and Yamato was waving from the mouth of it. Kakashi gave a small wave and an eye crinkle. Sakura was trying to smirk.

"You thought that they were part of the rebellion didn't you?" Kakashi asked Sakura quietly as they walked towards the cave.

"They smell like they belong in the rebellion."

Kakashi chuckled.

"I'm glad you found us. I figured we could go out and look for you but we didn't know where to start. We also ran into their training grounds earlier today so we thought we would gather some information there. How did you find us?" Yamato let Sakura to see Kenshi was sitting down in the cave.

Kakashi patted Yamato on the back. "You guys stink."

Color rose to Yamato's cheeks.

"How are you doing Kenshi?" Sakura was sitting next to Kenshi who was leaning against the wall. "Did you start trying to heal yourself?"

"I'm okay. We made the trip down the mountain and that took a while. I told Yamato just to make a sled and we could use that but he said that would be illogical. I have been a little but I mostly get dizzy sometimes when I walk for too long."

Sakura nodded as her hands glowed green and she worked on Kenshi. Once she finished, she sat back. She flicked Kenshi on his forehead again.

"Baka."

Kenshi smiled and chuckled.

"Well, I think it's time for us to go. We got a lot of information yesterday. I think it's enough for what we were asked to get. I'm glad we didn't have to search high and low for these guys." Kakashi helped Kenshi stand up.

"Good. I miss home. Too many rocks." Kenshi smiled.

"We found one of their routes through the mountain. I don't know if you saw that group of soldiers but they all came through yesterday but I doubt anyone will be coming through that way anymore today." Yamato pointed to another cave on the mountains face.

Kakashi nodded. "Good work. Lets go home." He looked over at Sakura but she was completely preoccupied with helping Kenshi.

Guess it was good that they found them quickly. He didn't know if could take being alone with Sakura for much longer.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

I know my weak points. This specific chapter is my weak point of writing but I did my best! I think it ended up really well! :D Hope you enjoy guys! Im really having fun writing this! Hehehe.

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Chapter 12:

"I told her I couldn't take the embarrassment of being carried into the village. So she set me down and I walked into the village." Kenshi was recounting the story from the mission to his friends. They giggled.

"He almost died of embarrassment of falling down a mountainside."

Kakashi walked into the hospital room where Kenshi had been staying for a couple days. Sakura had insisted, saying she was worried about the fact that he hit his head.

"Kakashi-sensei! Have you come to take me out of the hospital?"

"Nope. That's the nurse's job. I'm just wondering if you saw Sakura."

Kenshi shook his head. "She stayed for a couple hours after we got here but she left after that. I haven't seen her since.

Kakashi nodded. "See you." He gave a short wave and an eye crinkle before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
It had been a couple days since they were back. Tsunade said she already turned in the information gathered and was nowhere to be seen. Kakashi tried her house first this time but no one was home. Naruto and Sasuke had caught up to him and coerced him into eating ramen with them. It was either that or he owed them a training day. Kakashi avoided those at all costs.

He wandered his way up to the training grounds. A couple of genin were practicing in training ground one. Guy was in training ground two with Lee doing some sort of dance and yelling. Training ground three was quiet but he noticed a figure, standing on one of the poles in the pond. On one foot, Sakura stood perfectly still. The other thing that moved was her hair. Kakashi made his way into the training ground.

"Yo." Force of habit he gave a small waved.

"Kakashi."

Kakashi looked up at the sky. "Beautiful day to train."

Sakura moved for the first time and set down her foot that had been against the inside of her thigh and turned around to look at Kakashi. "Bored old man?"

"I thought I would spar with my favorite former student. It might give me some nostalgia."

Sakura jumped down off the pole and walked over to him. "Nostalgia? I thought that was what the drinking was for."

Kakashi winced. "Ouch Sakura. There was once a time you used to respect me."

"Once but that was a long time ago." He looked at Sakura as her word trailed off. She was thinking about something else. Kakashi must have interrupted her internal thoughts, not meditation.

"How about it? A spar for old times sake?"

Sakura smirked. "Fine old man."

Kakashi pulled out a kunai and threw it at her, testing the waters. She leaned slightly, letting the weapon fly by her. Sakura brought her leg up and aimed at Kakashi's head but it was slow and he blocked it easily. Every move they made was slow and deliberate. Testing each other. Kakashi caught her foot but didn't let go this time.

"Care to make this more interesting?"

Sakura pulled back her leg. "How so?"

"A wager."

"Okay?" Sakura seemed unsure. "What do I get when I win?"

"What do you want?"

She paused. "I want you to stop looking for me." Kakashi's mouth almost fell open but she continued. "I'm not the Sakura you knew but I don't like being stalked around the village like some criminal. If I leave, you'll know it. If I want to be found, I'll be the one to come forward. Stop trying to seek me out." She paused. "I know Tsunade asked you to look after me, but please don't."

Kakashi was stunned. He figured that she knew he was trying to look for her but to go as far as to make it part of the wager? He sighed.

"Fine. But if I win…" he took a slight step back. "…you have to tell me what the Elders spoke to you about."

Her face darkened. Her mouth formed a frown and she balled up her fist. He partly wanted to make her angry, it was the easiest to make her seem like the old Sakura. She was far too emotionless for his liking. But he also wanted to know. There was no way to ask the Elders and if Tsunade didn't know, only Sakura would be the one to tell.

She walked towards him and he stepped back a half a step. Her hand wrapped around his arm and he felt the slight tingle of chakra. The next thing he knew, Kakashi was flying through the air. Kakashi turned in the air and cracked off a clone. Sakura disappeared and reappeared in mid-air behind his clone and kicked him hard in the stomach, making the clone shoot towards the ground like a bullet. The ground exploded and Kakashi jumped away from the debris.

"Sakura, you could have killed me."

She landed fairly close to Kakashi, tightened her hairband and gave him a wry smile.

"That wasn't you Kakashi. But I suggest you not take this lightly."

Kakashi put a kunai in his mouth and started to let his hand fly through seals. The ground in front of Sakura exploded and Kakashi threw the kunai into the smoke. He didn't stick around to see if it hit. He jumped into the trees. Cracking off a couple more clones, he masked his chakra, making his way around behind his prey. She had nonchalantly walked into the trees.

She was glowing. The sun hit her face that, for the first time, had a smile on it. A flick of her wrist Kakashi watched as she hit almost every single clone. The last clone left ran at her and Kakashi let another string of hand signs off, disappearing underground. Moments later he rose out of the ground, trying to grab her ankle but she had already jumped away and the clone was gone. For the first time, Sakura cracked off some of her own clones.

It took longer than he liked to dispatch the last of her clones. He had lifted his hitai and let a little chakra trickle into his eyes, helping watch the clones movements. He looked around, trying to locate Sakura. There was a breeze and he felt soft hands touch his head.

"You should know better than to use this."

Kakashi spun around, kunai in hand but she was already gone. He blinked once, then twice. What happened? What did she do? His sharingan was nonexistent. There was no chakra going to eye. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. She had to be close by. He opened his mouth and let out a fireball jutsu. It worked as he watched Sakura jump from one of the trees out of the way. But she jumped from tree to tree with ease. They continued to battle, throwing jutsu's, needles, kunai, and clones at each other. But they were equal. It made Kakashi annoyed that she had cut off one of his greatest assets but he knew she wasn't fighting at her full potential either.

"Damn it Sakura." Kakashi growled. He had thrown away his vest and hitai a while ago. She had also forgone her hitai and her keiko-gi. All that was left was the wrap holding her breasts tightly in place and her hakama.

Sweat made his clothes cling to him and he rolled his shoulders, still in an attack position. Three of his clones were in between him and Sakura. Sweat glistened along her shoulders and chest. Sakura burst forward, her foot making its own crater in the ground. The clones burst from the speed and Kakashi blocked. Her fist hit his arms but it wasn't enough to keep him in place. The force launched him into the air. Kakashi had two clones left and they were now in place, holding Sakura at her ankles. Readjusting he trajectory, Kakashi took hold of his wrist and the symphony of chirping began. At first quiet but as he flew closer to the ground and towards Sakura, the chirping became deafening. He was going to finish this little spar. Chidori seemed a little excessive but he wasn't about to lose this fight.

She started to make a rush of hand signs as well. They looked familiar but she was blurring through them so fast that Kakashi couldn't make it out without sharingan. As he fell on her Kakashi watched, for what seemed like an eternity, as Sakura also summoned Chidori as well. She joined his with her own and threw the energy into the forest, exploding into the ground and setting the trees on fire. Kakashi had landed directly on her and the force pushed them both to the ground. He could tell the wind was knocked out of her and she was trying to catch her breath. She was pinned under Kakashi and he had his hands on her wrists to make sure she didn't try anything.

"You almost killed me Kakashi! What the hell were you thinking?" She coughed out the words.

"I wasn't about to lose."

"Why do you care Kakashi? Can't you just leave me alone? Leave me in peace?"

Kakashi looked at her but all that looked back were her bandage and he sighed. "Do you really think you will find peace alone?" He asked but added; "I read your report. The _whole_ report."

She stopped straining against him. "Tsunade?"

"She let me read it. She said that maybe I would understand where you are coming from. But I don't because you wont allow me. Sakura, you can't think everything you have done will just go away if you are left in peace."

Her head turned to the side and something came over Kakashi. He let go of one of her wrists and grabbed a kunai out of his bag. Slicing her bandages, he put his hand on the side of her head made her look at him. She looked up at him. However, her normal green eyes were gone. They were milky silver with small flecks of green. As though leaves were floating amongst a stormy sky. She didn't blink or move them; they just looked into him. There were scars on both sides, a result of a sloppy removal. She was no longer the young girl with the smile firmly planted on her face. There was a strong jaw line, a slight tan line where the bandage was and scars proving her strength.

"What do you see?" Sakura asked quietly.

He took a deep breath. "A rough past."

A small trickle of sweat caught his eye as he watched is slip down her neck and between collarbones before it turned, disappearing into the fabric of her wrap. Kakashi felt a slight heat rise to his face. He let go of her wrist and sat back on the grass, resting his arms his knees. Sakura leaned up and put her hands behind her, putting her weight against her arms. She had her face to the sky and her eyelids closed very slowly.

"I can't believe you were going to use Chidori on me."

"I can't believe you used Chidori to counteract my Chidori. Of all the things you would come up with." Kakashi watched as a smirk played at the edge of Sakura's lips.

Then suddenly the wind picked up and Sakura burst into cherry blossoms. Kakashi sighed. Technically he had won but he knew Sakura would tell him. Just not at the moment. He looked up at the sky, the sun was already doing down. They must have been fighting for hours. He couldn't remember the last time he had such an even sparing match.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I noooot own Naruto**

Hehehe. Hehehe. HEHEHEHEHE.

That is all.

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Chapter 13:

Kakashi stood in the shower, his hands bracing his weight against the wall. The water beat down on his head. It had turned cold a while ago. He slowed his breathing. What the hell was he doing? Sakura was looking at him, but she didn't see anything. Kakashi was looking at her and he saw _everything._

His hand reached down and turned off the water. He grabbed the towel and dried off his hair first and then wrapped the towel around his waist. Opening the door he froze to a presence in his apartment. Slowly reaching over, he turned on the lights, he saw an ANBU clad ninja perched in his window over his bed. Kakashi sighed and scratched his head.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei. But Tsunade said not to return until I gave you a message."

"Yeah. It's fine. What's the message?"

The ninja came forward and handed him a scroll. "You will meet your team at five in the morning at the entrance to the village."

Kakashi nodded, opening the scroll. The ANBU ninja disappeared and Kakashi skimmed over the scroll. He rolled it up and with a hand sign, set it on fire. Sakura would have gotten a kick out of the contents. Apparently, the Earth Country tried, and failed, to reign in the rebels.

"Should have just agreed with Sakura and we wouldn't have to make the stupid trip again."

He sighed and threw on sweatpants. Once on the couch and he took Icha Icha Chaos off the table. Five in the morning was still a ways away.

It was six-thirty and Kakashi strolled up to the entrance. He was greeted by the excited face of Naruto who was bouncing up and down while talking adamantly to Sasuke who had a very bored expression on his face.

"Kakashi, good of you to show up." Sasuke welcomed him.

"Team Seven is back together!" Naruto punched the sky.

The confusion must have been readable on Kakashi's face. Sasuke moved to the side showing Sakura, head in her copy of Icha Icha Tactics. She didn't look happy though. Naruto was ecstatic. They walked through the entrance and Sakura joined them, never once putting her book down.

"Now we get to put some hurt on some rebels!"

"Should have done it to begin with." Sakura mumbled behind Kakashi.

Kakashi smiled and scratched his head, "At the time, we did what the mission required."

"And now we get to go back." Sakura huffed.

This time they were able take the faster route, a straight line for the rebel base since they didn't have to pretend to be civilians. The week trip turned into a couple days. Kakashi was thankful that they wouldn't need to climb the mountain as well. He looked over at Sakura who was keeping pace with him and he wondered if she thought the same. Her head turned to him and he looked away.

"Should be stop here for the night?" Sasuke was stopped a little further ahead in a little clearing.

Kakashi shrugged. "You're the leader."

"We should grab some firewood and see if we can't cook something up."

Sakura was about to go into the forest and Naruto ran in front of her.

"Don't worry Sakura! I got it! You know, since you're blind now." Naruto smiled his cheesy grin and raced off into the forest.

"Yes, because she needed to be reminded, baka." Sasuke followed Naruto but at a sauntering pace.

Kakashi expected Sakura to lash out but she just walked over to one of the bigger trees in the clearing and sat down against it, pulling out her book again. Naruto and Sasuke came back after a while and they started to build the fire. Kakashi took out the water for Naruto as soon as he took out the cups of ramen.

"Sakura, I have one for you too!" Naruto held one out to her.

"No thanks Naruto. I'm not hungry. But you're welcome to have my cup." Sakura still didn't look up.

Naruto looked at the cup he was holding out, shrugged and opened it as well. They poured the hot water into the cups and ate in silence for a few minutes. Naruto slurped up the rest of his second cup and threw the cup in the fire. He turned around and was watching Sakura and before Sasuke could put a hand over his mouth, Naruto asked;

"What was it like on that super long mission?"

Sakura's head rose slowly from her book. She seemed to think on her words. "What do you mean, Naruto?"

"I mean, what was it like? You were on that mission for five years. Did you meet any new friends? Did you learn any new jutu's? I mean it was _five years_."

Sasuke finally got a hand on Naruto and pulled him back. He covered his mouth and punched him in the head. Kakashi didn't move. As much as he thought Naruto was an idiot, he was also curious as to how she would answer. Kakashi guessed that Sasuke was too because while he had shut up Naruto, he was looking a Sakura.

"Well, after I lost my sight, it was like starting over again. As though I was going through the academy again."

"Why didn't you just come home after that?" Sasuke asked this time.

Sakura frowned. "I tried. I managed to send a bird to Tsunade. I told her what happened, in some horribly sloppy writing. Her reply only said 'Sorry'. From them on, I knew I was on my own."

"But now your super powerful. I mean, in the bingo books. You're up there with Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura smirked. "Naruto, I've surpassed Kakashi."

Both Sasuke and Naruto looked at Kakashi, who had chosen to take out his book. He was glad too. Sakura, saying she had surpassed him? Had there little spar not showed her that they were even? Or had she been holding back that much?

Kakashi shrugged for the boys and they scoffed. "It's late boys, and we need to get an early start. I'll take first watch. Sakura, you'll take second. You guys can fight it out for the other watch."

She nodded and everyone took out the sleeping bags. Sakura jumped up into a tree and let one leg hang off as she leaned up against the tree. Naruto and Sasuke slept under the tree Kakashi was perched on for the first watch. Another flip of the page and Kakashi looked up at the cloudless sky between the leaves.

Kakashi's eyes opened and he looked around. He had fallen asleep. Looking up at the sky, he measured about an hour. His back cracked as he rolled his shoulders. Naruto was snoring loudly, his arms and legs flung in different directions. Sasuke was huffing in his coffin-like sleeping position. But looking over to the branch where Sakura was, it was empty.

"Sakura?" Kakashi whispered into the night.

No answer. He jumped down out of the tree and sniffed the air. She masked her scent and her sounds. Otherwise he would have woken up. Lifting up his hitai, Kakashi looked through the forest. There was a spike in chakra just east of them. He put his hitai back down and headed towards it.

Kakashi walked through the forest until he hit a river. It was calm and the moonlight reflected off the surface beautifully. The clear night made it a perfect night to be sleeping under the stars. Suddenly, the water's surface began to ripple, then exploding into thousands of droplets. Kakashi jumped from where he was to behind a tree, masking his presence.

It was only her silhouette in the night as the moon reflected off the water. Her curves were defined but the shadows clung to her making it impossible to see any details. However, she was completely naked as she continued to bathe in the river. Kakashi looked around and found her clothes lying out on a rock further away. He really should just turn around and go. As though he never woke up from his tree. Another glance at Sakura, she was coming out of the river, every step closer, Kakashi could see more defining details of her body. The water rolled off her and defined her curves even more. Fully out of the water, she rung out her hair and pulled it back up into a high ponytail.

As Sakura put on her clothes, Kakashi tore his eyes away. He had been staring at her for far too long. This is was Sakura. He should have left as soon as he saw she was safe.

"Kakashi, do you mind helping me with my bandages?" He froze. She cocked her head to the side. "You really think I didn't know you were there? The least you could do would be to help me put them on."

She turned to him, looking at him with her milky gray eyes. They seemed to glow against the shadows on her face. Coming out from behind the tree, Kakashi walked over to her. He could see her fighting a smirk but the way her eyes looked at him, her eyes were smiling. Sakura turned her back to him and held out the bandage up to her eyes. He leaned forward, his chest brushing against her back to grab the edges of the bandages. Kakashi helped her wrap the bandage around four times before he tied the bandages in the back and tucked the ends behind the layers.

"Thank you. It's easy to get them off but sometimes it's hard to get them back on when my hair is wet." She turned around. "But what are we going to do about you peeping that whole time."

"I'm sorry. You weren't at camp and I wanted to make sure you weren't…" Kakashi didn't finish his thought.

"Weren't running away?" There was a hint of anger in her voice. "You fell asleep on your watch."

She started the trek back to camp and Kakashi followed behind her with his hands in his pocket. Both Naruto and Sasuke were still asleep.

"It's my turn for watch. So go ahead and sleep. Apparently you need it." Sakura jumped up into the branch she was on and sat with her legs hanging off. She pulled out her book.

"Sakura…"

"Good night Kakashi. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

Naruto leaned forward to look at him as they were walking. "Why are you carrying your backpack and Sakura's things?"

"Well, you see..." Kakashi gave Naruto an eye crinkle but Sakura interrupted from behind him. She was walking next to Sasuke.

"He lost a bet last night. So he gets to carry my things for the rest of the trip." To emphasis, Sakura stretched and rolled her shoulders. "He is, after all, stronger than all of us." Her words dripped in sarcasm.

Naruto looked back at Sakura. "Sasuke and I still haven't been able to defeat him in sparing. We get close but then he pulls out Sharingan and he usually sneaks up on us."

Sasuke shrugged and Kakashi pulled out his book. They continued to walk along the road and the mountains started to come into view. Kakashi was glad they weren't going over but as they made their way to the base of the mountain, the tunnels that they had seen and used has been blasted.

"Do you think the Earth actually did this or this was the rebels doing?" Sakura mused.

"It doesn't matter. We need to find a way in."

Naruto punched his palm. "We should just break through."

"Baka, we are getting through the mountain but there is a large area behind, its not like the rebels are right on the other side. We would lose the element of surprise."

"I found one." Sakura had her hand on the ground.

"Where?"

She made a face. "It's about a mile from here, back the way we came. It's small though. It will also take us out further away from the forest then we originally planned."

"Sakura-chan, how can you tell? You're blind!"

Both Kakashi and Sasuke hit Naruto. She stood and started to walk towards where she had said. It was hidden behind some bushes and if they weren't looking for it they would have never noticed it. They had to walk single file down the small tunnel, ducking every so often to not get hit by the low ceilings. Sakura just walked behind them, short enough that she didn't have to duck.

It took about an hour to get through the pass but when they came out on the other end, Kakashi knew where they were. It was the field that they originally dropped down into. They were further west though.

"We are just going to follow the mountain around to the forest. We will take a night in the forest before attacking their base." Kakashi readjusted his pack and Sakura's little bag. "Let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

Sorry Im so late in updating. I just haven't been able to find a path I like yet. I have probably written about nine chapters and scrapped them. SO I am still working out the kinks of what I like. But this is a start. I'm just gonna try to keep going from here. Thanks you guys for sticking around. Im gonna try and keep this going!

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Chapter 14:

"Sakura!"

Sasuke yelled across the clearing. He was locked in battle with four ninjas. Naruto had take out a bunch of the soldiers and lead more into the woods where he was picking them off. Kakashi was dealing with a couple other earth-nin. Sakura however, had taken out more of the enemy than all three of them. She had taken on most of the ninja and a few hundred of the soldiers. But she was trapped in a rock jutsu now.

The moment they got to the forest it had been a battle. Sakura had smelled it first. It had been a trap. The rebels were waiting for them when they arrived. Someone let it slip that ninja were coming and they would be coming from the east or that they specifically a group from Hidden Leaf. Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were far superior in skill but the numbers weren't in their favor. They had been fighting for more than five hours and there still seemed to be so many of them left.

Kakashi tried to break away from the ninja blocking his path but he was distracted by Sasuke's yell and one of the other ninja slipped under Kakashi's defense, sticking a kunai in his side. He quickly dispatched the ninja but his path was now blocked by two more.

"You should enjoy watching your friend die!" One of the commanders of the rebels, a skilled earth-nin, was the one who had Sakura caught in a jutsu.

Sasuke was trying to get through all the soldiers but there were too many. He had already used chidori multiple times. Kakashi knew that the Uchiha didn't have the amount of chakra Naruto had and wouldn't be able to summon up another one. Naruto was still nowhere to be seen but you could hear the explosions in the forest from him. At this moment, Sakura was on her own. He looked over, expecting to see a grimace on her face.

"Run."

It was barely audible over the clashing and fighting but Sakura rolled her head in the direction of Kakashi and Sasuke who glanced at each other. She had a smirk on her face. Jumping back, Kakashi sent a kunai through the ninja who was behind him and worked his way over to Sasuke.

"Grab Naruto. Run towards the mountains. Go through one of the mountain passes and don't stop for anything. Run like hell. Get back to Konoha." Kakashi helped Sasuke kill three other soldiers.

"What about you?"

"I don't know what shape she will be in after she does this. The last time she was almost dead. But if she is doing the same technique as she did before, she might take down the whole damn mountain. Just go!" Kakashi paused for a moment to make sure Sasuke made it into the other side of the forest and grab Naruto before he ran the other way.

Taking off as fast as he could, he made sure he put a good distance between him and Sakura but just close enough to see her through the trees. There was a huge spike in chakra and he watched as the jutsu that had entangled her melted away. Another huge blast of chakra and Kakashi put his hand on the tree limb to balance him. The level of chakra she was summoning surpassed even Naruto's well of chakra. If he hadn't already been crouched, Kakashi would have been driven to his knees. Sakura hadn't ceased to amaze him. He flipped up his hitai and activated Sharingan.

It looked like she was summoning chakra from her feet, channeling it through her body, and then amassing it into her right fist. But the amount of chakra he was seeing was far more than he could have ever expected, not even from an elite. He watched as she slammed her fist into the ground. Everything around her burst into powder. The buildings, ground, trees, and the men in the vicinity all turned into a powdery dust. Suddenly, Sakura's hair and clothes started to whip around violently and the ground below her opened up and exploded but not before Kakashi caught a glimpse of the huge smile on her face. She disappeared within the dust and powder now exploding from the ground. The sound made Kakashi's ears ring and he realized he wasn't far enough.

Running through the tree, he pushed himself to go faster but the force caught up to him first. It knocked him out of the trees and as he fell he cracked off a clone, having it throw him up into the air. Below, the clone was swallowed by the wave of crumbling force rippling through the ground. He leaned back looking at the wave of decimation that was now taking over the forest. A loud crack brought Kakashi's attention to the mountainside. It had a huge crack running through it and was now crumbling in on itself. He hoped Naruto and Sasuke had run fast enough to get on the other side before the force had hit the mountain.

Kakashi landed on the now sandy ground. The landscape looked like the desert. The trees had sunk into the ground and only a few still poked up out of the ground looking like bushes. This had been far worse than what he had seen from the aftermath when he first found Sakura. There had been pieces and bodies. But she had pulverized everything that was a building or human. The mass destruction followed, in case anyone was left alive.

Jumping from treetop to treetop, Kakashi made his way back to the encampment. Judging only by the epicenter, he looked around but there was nothing left. It was a wasteland. Sakura was nowhere to be seen. Kakashi wondered if maybe she was engulfed in the ground. He looked around once more and he caught the sight of something pink in a tree about thirty yards away.

Sakura was tangled in the tree, her hair was swaying in the light breeze but she wasn't moving.

"Sakura?"

Kakashi touched her neck. There was a faint pulse and her body was unharmed, not a scratch on her. But she wasn't conscious. He didn't know if she hit her head or if he should move her at all. A moment later there was another loud crack and he watched as more of the mountain fell down. There was a slight rumble and a large amount of debris falling down the mountain in a rocky avalanche. Without another thought, Kakashi picked up Sakura and once she was secured in a piggyback position, he ran towards the town they had stopped in before.

It was night by the time he reached the inn they had stayed in the last time they were in this part of town. The woman smiled at him.

"She fell asleep part of the way back." He gave her an eye crinkle.

Before he had taken the road, Kakashi switched his hitai for the eye patch he kept in his pocket of his jacket just in case. He had Sakura's bag tucked into the back zipper of his jacket. The only reason he had it was because he had forgotten he was carrying it. All their supplies were long gone. They had been in the opposite direction of Naruto and Sasuke but they were close enough to be swallowed by Sakura's massive destruction.

The woman had Kakashi follow her and she opened the room for him. He asked if they had any food still available to bring up to the room. She replied that the kitchen was still open. She also said she would bring it up with a couple of extra towels as well.

Kakashi was about to ask her for extra blankets as well but she had already shut the door. Sighing, he gently laid down Sakura on the bed. She was covered in dirt, dust and even had some leaves caught in her hair. He looked down at himself and realized he didn't look much better.

"Sakura, what am I going to do with you?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Just gonna keep going! :D Thanks for everyone who is sticking around and reading!

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Chapter 15:

Kakashi took a shower first. Hoping the time would be enough for Sakura to wake up. When he came out of the bathroom, she was still lying on the bed where he left her. But there were a couple towels on the counter along with two plates covered. Lifting up, Kakashi smelled the stew and covered it back up. He did take a bite of the bread before he did. He had dressed in his pants, which were relatively unharmed. A quick shake off out the window and Kakashi deemed them clean enough to wear again.

"Now…" Kakashi had found a couple of clothes in Sakura's bag, enough to keep her somewhat covered after the bath but he would need to clean her.

He wanted to just leave her dirty. But the bed was made and nice, she could also have a wound somewhere on her body. Maybe it would even wake her up, which was both a good and bad thing. Sighing, Kakashi picked up Sakura and took her into the bathroom. He rested her so that she was sitting on the sink and leaning against the front of him. From there, he started to strip her. Looking up the whole time, he tried not to dwell on the fact that this was the girl he had been ogling a day ago.

Kakashi placed her in the bath that he had drawn right after his shower. The water didn't wake her up which he was a little thankful for. He filled up a bucket of water and poured it over her head, keeping a hand over her forehead so she would still be able to breathe. Her hair covered the surface and swirled around in the water. Kakashi kept his eyes up as he took out the leaves from her hair. He chuckled at the twig that was curled in her hair.

"Sakura, you didn't need to go that far." Kakashi waited for a rebuttal but none came and he sighed.

He lifted her out of the bath and wrapped her in a towel. Drying her off, he pulled on the oversized shirt and boxers he found in her bag. Kakashi laid her back down in the bed, this time under the blankets. Checking her pulse, it was stronger but still not as strong as normal. The stew was still good cold and he finished off the rest of the bread. He sat next to Sakura on the bed and pulled out her Icha Icha book, activating Sharingan to read the work. He wished it was the special edition Sakura got but she didn't bring it on the trip. After an hour or so, he sighed.

"You owe me a Icha Icha Chaos. We won't get our bag of supplies back."

"Get it yourself old man."

Kakashi looked over at Sakura, who had her head turned towards him.

"Well, you're finally awake." He smiled but stopped mid-grin.

"I wasn't asleep Kakashi." She turned her body to the side.

Kakashi watched as she grimaced in pain. He hadn't put her bandage on her eyes back on, giving him a full view of her face.

"Are you hurt?" He put down the book.

She shook her head. "The amount of chakra I channel through my body burns my chakra pathways. It's not something I can heal like I can everything else. My body will slip into a state of coma when it happens."

Kakashi got up and got the plate of stew and bread off dresser. He set it down on the bed. "Can you eat?"

Sakura nodded. "Do you mind lifting me up?"

Kakashi leaned over and pulled her up into a sitting position against the backboard. She hissed but didn't say anything. He set the plate of food in her lap. Then watched as she slowly brought her left arm up and grabbed the spoon. Her arms were shaking as she slowly brought the spoon to her lips and ate the stew.

"Sakura, do you want me to…"

"The bath was humiliating enough Kakashi. Just go back to reading. I'm fine."

Kakashi cleared his throat and went back to his position, bringing the book up to his face. He tried concentrating on the word but after a few minutes the sound spoon clanging against the bowl made him look at her again. Sakura swore.

"Sakura, its okay if you want me to...I don't mind."

She stared at her food, her arms at her sides. "I went too far."

Kakashi chuckled. "You did. You created a desert in the middle of a forest. You also brought down the mountain."

The edges of her mouth curved up but she was trying to fight it. "Where are Naruto and Sasuke?"

"I sent them through the mountain and back to Konoha." Kakashi got up and walked around the bed and sat on the edge next to Sakura.

"Why? You should have just left me too."

"And have you in the state you are in now when the ninja come to investigate what the hell happened? No."

She looked at him. "You didn't know what would happen to me."

"No, but I was going by what happened when I found you at the compound. Someone also needed to stay behind to make sure everyone was dead." Kakashi got quiet, thinking about what happened to the people closer to Sakura.

"It's called Suna no Bakuhatsu Jutsu, Sand Explosion Jutsu. No one survives."

Kakashi took the spoon and lifted it up close to Sakura's lips. "It's gruesome to behold."

She leaned forward and closed her mouth over the spoon. As she chewed, Kakashi dipped it back in the stew.

"It's not meant to be looked at. It's meant to make sure there is no one and nothing left. A Sand-nin at the compound taught me the jutsu. Of course, I tweaked it to my own personal style but the principal is the same."

Kakashi put another spoon to her lips. He didn't know what else to say. She had stunned him with such a devastating jutsu. Her power was incredible and here he was, feeding her stew because she couldn't even lift her arms. Sakura used her left arm and grabbed the roll. Slowly, she brought it up to her mouth and tore into it.

"I still don't regret not having ramen." She took another bite of bread.

"Sakura."

She looked at him, her grey stormy eyes looking into his.

"Do you think you could look at my eye?"

"Did you use it a lot?"

Kakashi nodded and then cleared his throat. "Not a lot. It's just a prickle. Of course after you have actually recovered."

Her hand rested on Kakashi's shoulder and he saw her take a breath.

"Sakura, don't…!"

She squeezed her eyes shut but Kakashi sighed from the feeling the healing chakra that wound through his body. First the wound he got from the kunai stopped hurting. He felt the slight scratches stop stinging and his muscles relax. Next he felt it make its way up to his eye. It eased the throbbing and he felt the swelling go down considerably. Sakura took a sharp breath and her arm dropped, cutting off her chakra from him.

"You know you shouldn't be using it." She slumped against the back and sighed. "Thank you. For not leaving me."

Kakashi moved the plate from her lap to the side table. "You didn't need to heal me. I could have waited a couple days."

"That kunai wound could have gotten infected. Then we would be here even longer. I'm not hauling your ass back to Konoha on my back." She smirked.

Getting up, he went back to his side of the bed and sat back on the bed, picking up the book again. Sakura huffed and then slid down into the blankets so she was lying down again. Within a few minutes, her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. Kakashi looked at her. Even in pain, she still had healed him. The whole trip to the inn must have been painful.

Kakashi picked up the book. He knew that Sakura had changed. The pure joy he saw when she had executed the jutsu. She lived for the fight. But at the same time, she was still Sakura, worried more about her teammates before herself. Kakashi scratched his head. She wasn't as hostile to him though, which was nice. He looked down at the blank pages of the book. Maybe he was getting through to her.

Sakura screamed and Kakashi jolted awake. He threw the covers off the bed and took Sakura by the arms. She was bleeding all over, her body covered in scratches. Holding down her arms made her thrash around against him. He straddled her, keeping her from kicking him or falling off the bed.

"Sakura! Sakura wake up!" Kakashi winced as she managed to scratch his arm. "Sakura it's just a dream! Wake up!"

Slowly, her body started to relax and Sakura opened her eyes. They were a much darker grey than normal. She blinked a couple times and he saw that tears were streaming down the sides of her face. Kakashi watched as her skin started stitching itself together again. His also healed but he didn't feel any chakra going through him.

"Kakashi?" She choked out his name.

"It was only a dream." He smiled, trying not to let his apprehension apparent.

"I'm sorry." She looked up, leaning her head back. Tears still streaming down the side of her face.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi was acutely aware he was straddling Sakura, holding her down and his eyes had drifted more than once down her neck to her collarbones. Her shirt was tightly wrapped around her, her breasts pressed against the material, leaving little to the imagination.

Sakura looked back at him. There was a long pause and then suddenly Kakashi was being pushed back. She was kissing him, her tongue dipping into his mouth. His eyes widened and his thoughts sputtered. He was only aware of the touch of her lips that were kissing him. The lips he was kissing back. The tongue he was entangling with his own. The breasts that were being pressed up against him. The wrists he was holding down against the bed. The warm body he was straddling that moved against him.

Kakashi watched as though he wasn't even in his body. He tried to speak but his voice was caught in his throat. The whole scene was surreal. Finally, Kakashi snapped back.

"Sakura." He detached himself from her and backed up all the way to the wall.

Sakura's eyes widened and she sat up in the bed. She put her hand over her mouth and he could tell she was shaking. "Kakashi…I…" Before she said anything else, Kakashi grabbed his clothes and disappeared out the window.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

This one is a bit of a long one but I didn't really want to break it up anywhere so here you go! :) Enjoy!

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Chapter 16:

Sakura leaned against the pillar of an arch she assumed was to welcome visitors. Kakashi was in the forest still. She knew his chakra signature and the moment after he left out the window, he had wandered the forest. Frankly, it was an overreaction to say the least. Sakura shifted her weight onto her other foot. It had been a muscle memory, a reaction that had started long ago in the compound. Had Kakashi stuck around to ask what the hell was going on, maybe he would have realized that. But was she really that repulsive? Had she not caught him a couple days before ogling her during her bath?

A chakra signature from the other side of the forest brought Sakura's attention away from Kakashi and she turned her head slightly to listen. The signature ran and then slowed its pace to a walk when it reached the edge of the forest. It kept a leisurely pace until the man stood next to her. Sakura pursed her lips.

"Musashi is happy you are alive."

Sakura growled. "I'm sure he is."

"What happened at the compound?"

"Frankly, its none of your business. If Musashi wants to know, maybe he should ask me himself. How do I know you are trustworthy?" Sakura was aware that Kakashi was now watching her from the forest.

The man touched her arm and Sakura jumped slightly. She looked down at the touch and then realized he was showing her something. Lightly, she ran her hands over his forearm. The skin was raised and Sakura knew what it was. It was a brand, Musashi's signature, and a way to say that you were trustworthy, burned into your skin as apart of you initiation into the inner circle. Sakura had one too. She was surprised Musashi would send someone from the inner circle but he must have guessed her reaction. He had her attention now.

Standing up, making sure her back was facing Kakashi and shielding the man's face from Kakashi's prying eyes, Sakura spoke.

"What does he want?"

"Who was is that betrayed the group?"

"It was a new recruit. A Sand-nin. He was caught sending detailed messages via bird courier back to his country."

The man nodded, and Sakura assumed in his current position he was jotting down notes.

"Who started it?"

"I don't know who did. There were three guys who found him. Then two guys came up to defend him. All hell broke loose. No one trusted anyone anymore."

"Who ended it?"

Sakura smirked. "I did, with one punch. But if Musashi saw the aftermath of the compound, he would already know that."

The man was nodding. Sakura could have rolled her eyes. She was blind, her eyes were wrapped in bandages. Did they think that she could see that? She could, of course, considering what she was really looking at was the chakra veins. They glowed, showing the full body and casting a light shadow of what size the body was. It was part of her training to learn and its how she got by with everything. It irked her sometimes when people thought she could just understand them. Naruto was the best. As annoying as he was, it was nice to hear someone be ridiculously dense. Thinking that she couldn't do anything because she was blind. Kakashi did it too sometimes. He would stop mid-act or he would sigh right after he did something.

"Musashi said to stay put. At the moment he must reorganize and regroup. He knows you are loyal and that when the time comes for you to come back, you will. He also says that you will know where to find him when that time comes."

Sakura sighed. "Well, isn't that poetic." Kakasha had started to make his way out of the forest towards her. She must have been talking too long. "You will leave now. You will turn around and wave five paces out with a goofy grin on your face. Otherwise I will kill you right here and right now."

He didn't wait a moment. The man turned and left, walking down the road opposite of the forest. Sakura turned around and Kakashi walked up, standing next to her.

"What was that about?" His words were barely more than a growl.

Sakura watched as the man waved. "He was wondering how to get out of this valley. I just gave him directions." Sakura relied in a flat tone.

"You know he is going the wrong way."

Sakura shrugged. "Then they shouldn't ask a blind person for directions."

Kakashi waited for a moment, as if he was waiting for her to say something else but when she didn't, he cleared his throat. "Well, if we are going to go back, we could take a chance that one of the tunnels didn't collapse and head of one of those. Or we could go through the giant hole you made in the mountain, or we can go the way you're supposed to and take a ferry down to the other side of the mountain."

"You're the boss." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn't going to make it easy for Kakashi. She still hadn't forgiven him.

"We could try the tunnels."

Sakura straighten up and put her hand out for Kakashi, mock bowing like a servant and master. She heard the very quite click of his tongue. He didn't say anything to her, just walked past her and trudged back towards the mountain. They walked and Sakura kept pace but further back from him. They had to buy civilian clothes with the little money Sakura had left in her pouch after paying for the night at the inn. It was nice though, to be in pants that were a little closer to her and a shirt. She felt like she was in her ANBU uniform again. It felt good. It always did. But maybe part of that was the anonymity of it all. She was just another ninja in a mask. Faceless and she could do the mission without the hassle of being cordial.

There was a brush against her hand and she felt the tall grass in her hands. The sun burned bright and it felt warm against her skin. She put her palms out and let the grass glide over her skin. The old Sakura would probably complain about the heat or the pace or the lack of path. But now, every feeling with different and she treasure them. It felt normal. If she closed her eyes, in her minds eye she could see the grass meadow stretch out and the mountains in the background. The slight sway of the wind, the bright blue sky.

"Sakura, what are you…"

She had stopped and let herself fall back onto the ground, crushing the grass behind her. But the tall grass shielded her now and it was so much cooler lying against the ground. Sighing, she put her palms down to the earth. Sakura could see for miles when she did this; the terrain, the people who walked on it, the trees, and anything that was connected to the earth at that moment.

"Are you hurt?" Kakashi had backtracked to her and was leaning over her, casting a shadow.

"Today is too nice of a day to just spend it walking."

"Sakura, we need to go home. No one has any idea if we are dead or alive."

How could he know? Why had Tsunade chosen him of all people to "watch over her"? He was the last person who would understand her. Sure, maybe at one point he hated the village. But she didn't hate the village. Not really. She just hated everything about the village. He had reason to, with all the ninja way had taken everything from him. Sakura had read his file one night. His mother, father, friends, teacher all had been taken from him. The ninja way had taken them all. But, it wasn't the same for Sakura. It was the opposite.

"Sakura, we need to go."

"Kakashi, seriously. An hour or so won't hurt." She took a deep breath, the wind blowing and bringing the smell of clean air. It was so nice. Not the stench of too many people cramped into one area like the village.

"Would you like me to turn in a report that you have been insubordinate and shouldn't be taking missions?"

She sighed. His threat was hollow. She knew that if that happened, she would just be issued a mission alone. Sakura was too strong to be cooped up in the village. But she stood up anyways. He voice grated on her nerves when he tried to put an edge of authority in it.

"Killjoy. You don't even know the beauty surrounding you because all you're doing is staring straight ahead."

She walked past him and continued through the meadow. When she was lying down, she had found one of the tunnels that hadn't collapsed and she was heading in the direction of it. Kakashi walked behind her a ways, silent.

"It was reflex, by the way. I didn't realize it was you or I would have stopped. I was still half delirious. So don't think anything of it." Before he could acknowledge that he heard her she continued but changed the subject. "There is a tunnel straight ahead, it's still open, if you would like to take lead since you are the captain." She made the same motion as before but this time he just stood where they had stopped.

"Does it happen often? The…"

"Nightmares?" Sakura offered up a word before he could think of anything else. "They happen as often as the nightmares themselves happen. Now, if you won't take lead you will need to rely on my sense of direction and we could end up in Waterfall country."

He nodded and then sighed again, this time going so far as putting his hand through his hair. Sakura did her best not to smirk.

"Got it." Kakashi brushed passed her and took the lead, allowing Sakura to match the pace a little behind him.

She stared at his back, the chakra veins creating a shadowy outline. It was all she could see of him. Other than the contours of some of his face. When she had kissed him, his mask was down. It had cleared the fog in her mind. He wasn't Kenichi. Kenichi didn't have such angular facial features. It was Kenichi who was there for her when the nightmares would come to claim Sakura. His room was next to hers and he would hear her cries or screams. He would rush over and calm her, stop her from doing anything further.

The first few times, it was just him coming to her side and holding her hands. But one time, it was too much. He had to get on top of her to stop her from thrashing. Even after she had woken up, he didn't move. Then he leaned down and kissed her. That was the first time she had had sex that was consensual. From then on, Kenichi would save her from her nightmares and they would have sex. Sakura wrinkled her nose. They didn't make love because they weren't in love. They just were, companions.

She ran into Kakashi's back. Sakura stumbled back, started that he had stopped. Her own thoughts had distracted her.

"Warn me when you stop abruptly. I can't see you stop." Sakura rubbed her nose; happy to be able to use an excuse other than she had drifted off.

"Sorry. We are at the tunnel." Kakashi sounded like he had also been lost in thought.

"Well, what are we waiting for, lets go." Sakura put her hand on her hip and waited but Kakashi took his sweet time moving. "Kakashi?"

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I overreacted. I should have…not."

Sakura pursed her lips together. Had he been that aggravated by it? Kami, she must really be ugly for him to go so far as to still be overreacting over the situation.

"Look, Kakashi. Forget it. Can we just go?" The hint of irritation in her voice finally made him move and he nodded. This time he forgot that she couldn't see and made his way to the tunnel.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto hit her, full force as soon as she exited out of the tunnel.

"You guys were supposed to go back to Konoha." Kakashi was clearly annoyed.

"We thought it might be weird that we arrived and not you guys. So we searched for the nearest tunnel that was open and figured we would camp out until then. Though we didn't think you guys would take you sweet time." Naruto had his hands on his hips.

"What if we had taken the ferry?"

"Sasuke remembered that you hate the ferry because you get sea-sick and since Sakura doesn't really care and would have let you take lead, you would have chosen the tunnel. Sakura would have chosen the ferry." Naruto put a hand on her shoulder but Sakura couldn't help but smirk.

"The ferry is faster and would have carried us closer to Konoha cutting our time down by at least four, six if we run." Sakura didn't let the amusement into her voice. It would ruin the fun.

Kakashi's chakra flared up and Sakura heard his heart hammering in his chest. He was angry. "Why didn't you say something?" His voice was almost a growl but she could hear Sasuke and Naruto chuckling in the background.

She shrugged. "As Sasuke said, you get sea sick." Leaving Kakashi to stand by the entrance, she joined Naruto and Sasuke at the fire.

Naruto leaned over. "He just kicked a rock and stormed off."

She swallowed the urge to hit him. "Well, he has been annoying the whole damn day. Serves him right. Let him take first watch. Here." Sakura took Naruto's hand and placed three nutrient bars. She held out three more for Sasuke and he took them.

Sakura had pulled out her book and was two pages from where she had left off earlier that day before Naruto, who was into his second bar, spoke.

"How long are you going to act like you don't care Sakura?" His voice was much deeper than it was before.

She looked up from her book, still out of habit. "So, are we finally done playing around?"

"He does actually forget you are blind though." Sasuke added, crumping the paper as he polished off the second nutrient bar.

"Why are you putting on an act with me?"

Naruto sighed. "We were hoping you would play along. Sometimes you do but most of the time you don't. For Kakashi-sensei's sake."

"Kakashi can take care of himself Naruto. You don't need to pretend. I'm not the same. Neither are you or Sasuke. All of us, we have been through too much. I was an idiot before to think I was even close to you guys. But after all this has happened…" Sakura curled her hands into fists, pausing for a moment. "I can never go back. But I am stronger for it and I would do it all again if this was the result."

"You wouldn't say that if you saw Kakashi after you left." Sasuke was the one who said it and that surprised Sakura.

"It's true. He was like an empty shell. He was worried that it wasn't a mission. The longer you were gone, the worse he got. More than a handful of times Sasuke and I had to peel him off the streets drunk out of his mind. Before he drowned in his own vomit or caught pneumonia." Naruto sighed. "You weren't there to take care of him anymore. And he just, let himself go. He didn't care anymore. It was sad. Even Gai started to alienate him."

Sakura leaned back. "What does you acting like the dobe you were before I left? Wouldn't that just harm him? Isn't that the same as lying to him?"

"But if we are all back together, happy, like we used to be. Then maybe, just maybe, he won't go back to that. If you wouldn't stop disappearing all the time and pretend to be who you were before…"

She stood up, her hands clenched into fists again. "No."

"Sakura, please. He needs someone. Anyone." Naruto's pleading voice irked her more.

"Why can't you Naruto? Or you Sasuke? The bright and shinning model students of his. He laid the foundation for you guys to grow powerful. Why don't _you_ be his friend? Why don't you try?"

"We were never able to get close to him like you did. You turned into a friend in his eyes." Sasuke chimed in.

"Because you never tried!" Sakura rolled her shoulders. "I will not act as though I didn't go through five years of shit because of a man who only sticks around because Tsunade asked him to. I barely even remember who I was before. I was stripped down to nothing. I will not try to go back. And don't you dare ask me that ever again." She turned on them and walked into the forest, leaving both Naruto and Sasuke at the fire, staring back at her.

Kakashi was headed towards her. "Sakura, what are you…"

"Get out of my fucking way."

Kakashi got in her way and she looked up at his face, the chakra pooling around one eye, continuously feeding it chakra and casting a brighter shadow of his face.

"Sakura, lets go back to camp and we will head out in the morning." He used his leadership voice.

She didn't answer; instead, she put her hand on his shoulder. The air around her got think and sticky. Kakashi started to make wheezing noises and she was whirling his precious oxygen around her. But she let his shoulder go just as his knees buckled. He fell onto all fours coughing and taking deep haggard breaths.

"Never, get in my way again Kakashi. Or next time, I will truly show you how weak you really are compared to me."

She left him there on all fours, disappearing into the forest.

"What took you guys so long? Were you doing extra training?"

Tsunade's question made Kakashi look at Naruto and Sasuke, who were equally confused. They looked back at Tsunade whose eyebrow had risen slightly.

"Sakura turned in her mission report over two days ago. She said you were going to follow in the next day or so. I just figured you were doing a bit of training together."

Naruto's mouth dropped open and Sasuke was even slightly alarmed. Kakashi was glad for his mask that he had bought at the vendor back in earth. Otherwise he would have looked just like Naruto. They had been running at top speed back to Konoha to tell Tsunade that they had lost Sakura somewhere in Earth country.

"Anyways, you reports are all due tomorrow. Since you decided to lollygag for so long. Get out. I have things to do." Tsunade looked down at the paperwork that they had interrupted.

All three of them walked out of her office, dumbstruck.

"That's…" Naruto didn't know and looked at Sasuke, who shrugged.

"We were going at full speed." Kakashi ran his hand through his hair. He wanted a shower. "Apparently, in the race for strength, I have a feeling _we_ were the ones left behind."

"Well, she did almost kill you." Sasuke shrugged again and walked after Naruto who was clearly unhappy.

Kakashi waved to them and took off to his apartment. He took a shower and laid on his bed. Frowning, he reached under his pillow and took out a brand new copy of Icha Icha Chaos. There was a little card in it. _Sorry._


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Hey guys! Sorry for the long break again. I'm just getting a little behind in everything. But don't worry. Im still here. Still in this story. :)

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Chapter 17:

Kakashi avoided Sakura now. He didn't really have to try hard but he made a point to avoid certain bars and training grounds she frequented. Sakura didn't scare him; he was more scared of himself. His reaction in the inn and how much he wanted her scared him. Not to mention she had almost killed him. How could he trust her if she had an anger that could lead her to kill her teammates? He didn't know what Naruto and Sasuke had said her, they wouldn't tell him. Her anger was now a serious problem, now that she could back it up with amount of power she wielded.

Right now though he was leaning against a closed shop in the shadows of the brightly lite street. Lanterns were lighting the street at the moment and there were food vendors and games. The festival was in full swing and most of the women were dressed in tradition kimonos. Gai had dragged him out but Kakashi had given him the slip in the crowd. Kakashi thought about heading to one of the bars but they were overrun with festivalgoers. Now he was just people watching from the shadows.

A flash of blue in the crowd caught his attention. He saw Yamanaka Ino with her blonde hair down in a pink kimono and she looked lovely. Most men gave her a double take, if not a third. However, as she leaned over to look at something in a stall, Kakashi saw Sakura in an indigo blue kimono. When she went around Ino to move out of someone's way Kakashi had to blink a few times but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Her hair was in a pony tail as usual but the contrast of the pink as it fell against the blue of the fabric made it that much more vibrant. Even her wraps around her eyes matched the color of the kimono.

She turned her head slightly and the she turned fully, facing directly at him. Kakashi didn't know whether or not to run. Ino seemed to look where Sakura was looking. She leaned into Sakura and whispered something to her before shoving her hard in his direction. She stumbled forward and Sakura was fine for the first couple of steps but Kakashi watched as she hit a stone on the third step and began to fall. Instinctually Kakashi rushed forward and caught her, righting her.

"You know, they really need to fix these damn roads, I trip over them way more that I should." She grumbled and then looked up at Kakashi. "Thanks."

His hands were still holding her shoulders and he was just taking her in. He was afraid if he let go she would disappear. As soon as he realized his thought, he let go of her shoulders as if they were on fire.

"You're welcome. You look beautiful." Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks. Ino said I owed her. For every festival I missed. I don't think she understands that it's a little overwhelming to be with this many people. The sounds and the smells."

Kakashi chuckled. "I know a little about that."

"You told us that you had an incredible sense of smell." Sakura paused and clasped her hands behind her back, a small smile gracing her face. "But I wonder why you choose Watermelon shampoo to wash you hair in."

Kakashi coughed as he could feel the redness come over his face. He didn't realize her sense of smell had become that acute. Most people couldn't smell it, even if they stuck their nose in his hair. But for him it was a light scent. Sakura couldn't not only smell it but identity the smell as well.

"It gives you away."

"I can't believe you can smell that. You're nose might be better than mine now."

Sakura chuckled and tapped her bandages. "You're only missing one. I'm missing two. Get on my level."

Kakashi was surprised at her smile, laugh, and even lighthearted joking. He had only avoided her for about a week. Did what the boys tell her, bother her that much or was she just faking it for the festival?

"Kakashi! I found you! Come!" Gai came bounding over to Kakashi. "We must play this wonderful game of shooting the bottles!" His energetic step slightly fumbled when he saw Sakura and his voice turned much more formal. "Sakura-chan, you look lovely this evening."

"Gai, you look lovely tonight as well. That green suits you wonderfully." Sakura tilted her head and gave Kakashi a smirk.

He laughed and the seriousness of his tone seemed to disappear. "Come! Sakura! You must see the wonderful display of friendship and rivalry!"

"Wouldn't miss it. You know, if I could see it in the first place" Her tone was so light and her smirk so real that Kakashi smiled under his mask.

Kakashi took her arm and started to lead her. "In case you trip again."

He could tell she wanted to say something but her lips were kept pursed. They followed Gai down the street to one of the strands. Kakashi sighed as Gai started to stretch and roll his shoulders. Kakashi looked around the stand and then turned to Sakura.

"Looks like air guns, shooting small light balls. There are three milk bottles stacked, two on the bottom and one on the top. Those milk bottles that Naruto used to chug to blow the milk out of his nose." Kakashi felt her shiver and he chuckled. "Looks like they put on alternating fans on each side so that ninja's have a disadvantage."

"What are the prizes?"

"Well, there are key chains if you hit the bottles. Two different sizes of stuffed animals depending on how many you knock over. The grand prize is…" Kakashi looked above the bottles and there was a box with a beautiful knife. It was engraved with a design Kakashi couldn't place but it was set in black with the blade itself was very shiny polished silver. "It's a beautiful knife, if a ninja manages to beat it."

Gai paid and took three shots but he didn't hit a single bottle. He huffed but Kakashi allowed him to pay the woman again and take another three shots. His second shot was the only one that managed to hit the top bottle and knock it off.

"He got a small penguin stuffed animal."

Sakura chuckled. "Your turn."

Kakahsi sighed and paid the lady hosting the stall. He missed the first two times but the third time he hit the top bottle but not enough to knock it down. The woman pointed to the array of key chains. He picked out one that was also a stuffed penguin. Gai patted him on the back.

"Nice try my eternal rival but it looks like I won this time!"

Kakashi felt a jab into his arm and he looked as Sakura was pressing a small purse into his arm.

"Can you get out what I need? I don't know how much it is."

"Well now! The competitive spirit has moved our young Sakura-chan's heart! She shall not be denied a try! Go Sakura!"

Kakashi paid the lady with the money out of the little purse, noticing there wasn't very much inside to begin with. He picked up the gun and set it in the hands of Sakura. The fans were turned on and Sakura asked the woman if she could tap the bottles she was supposed to hit. The woman looked confused for a moment but Kakashi pointed to the blindfold. She obliged and after hitting each one once, letting it ring out, she stepped to the side. Sakura let off one shot but didn't hit anything. Kakashi smirked but his smirk fell away as he watched Sakura spread out her feet a little more and go completely still. Her hair was the only thing that swayed back and forth with the fans and she shot off the second. It hit the top bottle, shifting it back a little but not enough to knock it off. Again she went still, setting up the third shot. It was about a minute and she finally let off the third. It hit the bottom left bottle, knocking it over. The bottle on top toppled over as well but as it fell, it brought the right bottle down with it. They tumbled to the ground and Gai let out a whoop.

The lady stood stunned for a moment before shuffling over to the shelf where the grand prize was. She took the box and shoved the box into Sakura's now empty hands.

"Way to go Sakura! Your youthful beauty has beaten out both Kakashi and I! It reminds me I must train twice as hard to make sure I keep up with my own students! Excuse me while I go find Lee and some milk containers. Some training is needed!" Gai took off full speed down the street through the crowd.

"Well, that's one way to get rid of Gai." Kakashi chuckled.

"Trade you." Sakura held out the box to him.

Kakashi looked the knife, far more intricate detail than he first thought, as he looked at it closer. He brought up the little keychain he won.

"Hardly seems like a fair trade."

"How can I appreciate this?" She looked down at the box in her hand. "I know I'm holding it but I don't even know what it looks like, so having it out is useless. I also am not a fan of using knives in combat." She smiled sadly. "It would only go to waste if I were to take it. Plus, I would like a cute keychain."

"Okay." Kakashi placed the little penguin in her hand and took the box in her hands. He didn't want to say, but he actually had been trying for the knife. They started to wander down the streets in silence for a little while before Sakura took his arm.

"I'm sorry. I lost my temper. Sasuke and Naruto tried to assume things about me and asked something unreasonable of me. I was already perturbed at you for most of the day." Sakura shuffled her feet. "My…etiquette…is still a little rusty. I'm not used to dealing with…" She chewed on her lip, thinking.

"Friends?" Kakashi offered.

She nodded.

"It's okay Sakura. I know this transition isn't the easiest. That's part of the reason why Tsunade had me look out for you."

Sakura didn't have a chance to reply when Naruto, Sasuke, and Ino interrupted them.

"Wow! Kakashi! Wasn't that the grand prize from one of the stalls? If anyone could beat that dumb game it would be you! And Sakura, you got a cute little penguin keychain!" Naruto bounced around them, showing off his own prizes.

"Forehead! You ditched me!"

"Sorry Ino, I think I'm going to go home. It's getting to be a little much." Sakura, without another word from anyone, disappeared in a shower of cherry blossoms.

"Damn. I actually got her dressed and out of that house too."

Ino stormed off after saying goodbye to the three of them. Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi made their way to one of the less crowded bars and proceeded to drink away the rest of the festival. Naruto, hiccupping, was lead away by a very buzzed Sasuke and Kakashi watched as they stumbled out of the bar. He then proceeded to drink himself into a stupor as well.

Kakashi didn't remember the walk from the bar to his door but now he found himself fumbling for his keys. He finally got the key inside, unlocked it, and turned on the light. He placed the box and keys on the table when he realized the door didn't slam shut behind him. It clicked quietly behind him a minute or so later. Kakashi turned around to see Sakura, still in her blue kimono, leaning against the door.

"I hope I'm not intruding."


End file.
